Harken's Bell
by Lady Kaliska
Summary: A woman bound by fate. A life intertwined with those who come in the name of Shinobi of whom she spurned. Was the price of being true to a birth right too steep? Or was blending with those she could never understand the answer to her plight? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Harken's Bell**

**A/N: **Yup you guys, another AU. This is a very odd, and an undeniably different outlook of a fantasy-ish Naruto world. I started to think about chakra and the origin of how it may have came about, and how chakra usage seemed to eventually narrow down to the usage by shinobi and such. Then about the clans before they decided to join together and form the Hidden Villages. I've always thought that when Konoha formed that they must have joined with another village already established. And that's the basis of this story. It's really not in the past type fic. Just a different outlook with all the characters we know and love. In other words, my usual AU stuff. Ya know, typical Lady Kaliska kerflaffle. -smiles- Read at your own risk. LOL.

**Warning:** Strong female lead! You have been warned!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. I just play in the sandbox already created.

**Chapter 1:**

The young pink haired shrine warrior strode through the streets of her city. She could hear the bells of the guardsmen ringing loudly, beckoning her to the walls of the old city. It was her duty to defend the way of her people against outsiders. They would come to the precious lands of the Gate Keepers, to obtain the sacred power that she, alone protected. She was the last of her line and the last of a blood lineage long died out. Her parents, had died when she had been just ten summers old, defending the way to the sacred gates. The Council of Ixion, wanted her to disband her duties, and to surrender. The old ways, were a hindrance they had told her. It made them different. They wanted peace with their neighbors. It was better to blend in, they had said.

Sakura had announced to them then, if that's how they felt, then she would take up arms alone. She wouldn't involve the city with her duties. If she died, then the old ways would disappear with her. The elders wouldn't dare to stand in her way, because they believed that the spirits of the Bijuu would curse them. And so, it was she, the last of her kind, that would stand alone against all invaders who would seek out that sacred power.

The inhabitants of the city scattered and parted at the sight of the young woman. The adults whispered amongst one another. The children stared and pointed wildly at the strange pink haired woman. Not only did the odd hue of her tresses separate her from the other civilians, but so did her vibrantly vivid green eyes and her sun kissed tanned skin. She paid them no mind, already used to such behavior from as far back as she could remember.

The guards quickly spotted her amongst the gathering throng of curious onlookers. They immediately opened the gates and the loud echo of the bells began to wane. The soldier on the left of the gate eyed her through narrowed orbs. He smirked down at her as he informed her coolly, "It's best you listen to the Council. This time, there are far too many."

Sakura didn't even bother to look at the male. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him frown at her blatantly ignoring him, but such a minor thing didn't concern the prideful female. She strode past him as if he hadn't spoken, paying no mind to the warning. The young woman was well aware of the chakra signatures on the other side of the massive walls and she highly doubted anyone in the city but her felt them.

As soon as her sandal clad feet hit the gravel path outside of the gate, the guards shut it behind her. Her sharp intelligent green eyes roamed over to the mounted small army of twenty or so men that faced the city. The tension in the air was so thick that she could nearly taste the bitterness of it on the tip of her tongue. Their chakra signatures, she realized, was tinged with an edge of malice that made her feel uneasy. These men were used to killing, she sensed. That thought made her slightly nervous. So these were shinobi, she noted thoughtfully.

The afternoon breeze danced over the dark cranberry hued material of her hakama pants and jacket. Sakura slowly made her way to the three males, sitting proud and tall on their large war stallions at the front of the small show of force. She figured that they must be the leaders of this little entourage. Halting several feet away from them. She wouldn't get any closer to them then she had to. She asked smoothly, the sound echoing loudly, "What is it that you want?"

The men all looked at each other, unsure of how to seriously answer this statement from the lone, diminutive female.

Sakura took the time their confusion afforded her to study them. She knew that they were not of the same familial clan, as they all looked too distinctly different to be related. The one on the far left, had spiky blond hair, and brilliant blue eyes as clear as a cloudless summer's sky. The one in the far right, watched her through cool orbs of icy pupil-less lavender tinged silver. His dark coffee brown ponytail lay over his shoulder. The rich material of his cream hued kimono with embroidered sleeves with his familial crest indicated he was of a prominent clan. The one in the center, also wore clothing much like the man to his right, except his was stark black. The symbol of a red and white fan was emblazoned proudly for all to see. His hair was ebony like a moonless night, as were his fathomless and cold emotionless eyes.

Her lips thinned. This force they brought before Ixion was serious. These were not soft men.

"Do they think to make fools of us?" The one on the right finally spoke, the tone as aristocratic and arrogant as she assumed it would be.

She arched a pink brow at him in response, but did not speak. He had not answered her question, so she didn't believe that his rudeness deserved a proper reply.

One of the men in the back broke rank, and rode his mount forward. One look at him, and Sakura decided he must be a relation of the black haired leader. His eyes were of the same obsidian hue. She could read the impatience in the lines of his body. He glared down at her, his spiky hair bobbing with the movement, "Go back woman and bring out your leaders! We have no time to waste on the likes of you."

Her lips stretched into a frown. Perhaps they were here to declare war against Ixion. Maybe she had been too arrogant to assume that they'd be here for the ancient power of the Bijuu. It was a dying legend. She knew, that it was falling from the memories of mankind. Even the current residents of Ixion knew very little about who she really was. The Elders of the City Council wanted it that way, and had forbidden her to speak about what she truly was. The last set of invaders had come a decade ago and with the defense of her powerful parents, they had repelled the enemy at the cost of their lives.

True, these shinobi had chakra signatures, but that didn't mean they were necessarily there to exploit the secrets of the Bijuu.

Then, the one whom she assumed was the leader finally spoke, "I hardly believe that they would send a lone woman out to provoke us. Fetch the captain of the guard at the very least."

Tilting her chin upward, she met his his eyes calmly, "I apologize. I cannot do that until you declare your intentions."

His eyes narrowed dangerously on her, but she didn't flinch beneath the tepid gaze.

"Woman, this does not concern you," he reiterated, his voice as cold as the first snowfall of the northern territory.

A long sigh escaped her small frame. Her chin dipped down, and she shut her eyes.

They took this as a sign of obedience on her behalf. They watched her reaction with superior masculine smirks or haughtily down the aristocratic nose, depending on the male. Those expressions quickly melted away however when she lifted her right arm. The long, loose sleeves of her jacket fell down to her elbow revealing a golden bracelet, with a bell dangling at the wrist. It tinkled against the backdrop of curious silence.

Sakura heard their murmurs, but she paid them no mind. Within the breath of a second, she summoned the chakra within her. Crimson armor formed over her exposed epidermis before bewildered gazes. It spread over her torso, shoulders, and arms. Gripping her fist tighter, the tiny golden bell jangled with her surprisingly graceful movements. A long metal silver pole appeared in her grip, the deadly curve of the scythe glinted menacingly beneath the sunlight. The top edge was gilded in elegant decorative golden metal, that reminded one of a wild vine, wound around wrapping the length of the gracefully deadly blade. A green ribbon tied at the top of the stave fluttered in the breezy afternoon where the weapon met the handle.

Lifting her head, she positioned her slender body into a deadly battle stance. Brilliant green eyes met stern black. Her tone was soft, but there was steel laced in the sound, "Now that I have your undivided attention," the left corner of her lip quirked up into a rather unfriendly smile, "I will ask you again. What is it that you have come here for? What do you want?"

"You would dare to openly challenge us?" The opaque lilac-eyed one spoke again.

"I asked you a question. My patience with you wears thin," she snapped back, her left hand slid up to pull the weapon down, while tipping the blade up before pointing the razor edge outwards.

"Oi, I think she's serious Hyuuga," the blond finally interjected, his blue eyes never leaving the blade.

The said Hyuuga sent the blue-eyed male a telling glare.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. She was going to have to show them that she was serious before they'd answer her, it seemed. Bending her knees in a crouch, she jumped into the air, lifting the blade up in a graceful sweep, while lining the soles of her feet with threads of chakra. Their horses reared with high-pitched whinnies, as she landed right in front of the three leaders, the impact of her landing, creating a small crater.

Within the breath of a second, the leader was off his mount and in front of her. His unsheathed wakizashi styled blade swept out in the direction of her unprotected stomach. She caught the weapon with the stave of her weapon, before falling down to her feet, to sweep her legs out to knock him down. He jumped back easily, his dark eyes never leaving her face. Her movements became blurs to the naked eye as she continued to meticulously feed chakra to her limbs to execute the simple moves her father had taught her. She arced the sharp edge of the unusual weapon at his left side, her heels digging into the ground. She was taken aback when he caught the hook of her blade with his, and held her immobile.

"If you keep up with this folly, I will have to become serious," he said coolly. He was so close his breath fanned out over her face, "I will not be merciful if you push me to that point woman."

The normally tight reigns on her temper snapped, and she literally growled back in response. She hopped back to put some distance between them. Cheeks lined with red ire, she came at him again, this time, much more fiercely that what she had initially planned. Sakura had just wanted to test the waters. But that smirk starting to line his lips, was beginning to get to her. It was obvious, he didn't find her much of a threat, and keeping up with her was little trouble, if any at all. The arrogant superior look he wore on his face gave his thoughts away to the exasperated female.

"Shouldn't we help?" The blond asked wide-eyed, his orbs glancing to the men behind him.

"I don't think the Uchiha would appreciate our efforts," the Hyuuga responded dryly.

The spiky blacked haired male added scoffing icily, "Do you seriously believe my brother would need your help against one lone woman Uzumaki?"

Uzumaki didn't reply to the comment coming from the bristling prideful young man. It wasn't that he thought that his comrade actually needed help. But was it really all right to just stand by and watch? He looked back at the other men behind him. Half of them looked like they were just enjoying the show, the other part seemed bored by the whole thing. Shutting his eyes, he let out a sigh. If it was going to turn out like this, what was the point in bringing all these useless men in the first place? If they had gone on foot without the extra people, they would have arrived much sooner.

Truly she had thought these men arrogant, but now she was beginning to believe she also fit the description. She had never utilized her skills against another human being. She had undergone training by her father, but she'd never completed it due to his untimely death. She'd practiced obediently what little she knew, but it would probably not be enough against these men. And yet she had come out here to openly challenge them like an overzealous fool. Perhaps her stubborn pride would indeed get her killed after all, like the elders probably hoped it would. Sakura jumped back, once again putting distance between her and the larger male.

She shifted her weapon in front of her, and gripping it with both hands tightly, she squeezed her palms against the now skin warmed metal. In a puff of yellow smoke it disappeared along with her armor.

"You are wiser than you seem. Surrender is by far your best choice." His eyes narrowed into satisfied slits.

"Who said anything about surrender?" She responded, chest heaving from the exertion of their short battle. Her forehead was slick with sweat. She ignored the droplets of moisture running down her temples. Instead she crouched into a completely different styled fighting stance.

His lips thinned with displeasure at her flippant response.

With a feral war cry, the female launched herself at her enemy. He sprung back, avoiding the sudden swing of her fist, more then just a little surprised by her sudden frontal onslaught with no weapon in sight. However everyone's eyes widened into disbelief when she punched the ground. The earth cracked and split with a rumble, sending a shower of dirt spraying in every direction. _This,_ was the skill that she had learned from her mother. She'd always been more comfortable with her mother's fighting style. Her father's was certainly more impressive, and might make enemies more nervous. But she'd never been able to completely master the unique style. For what little she knew of it, it was too complicated beyond the basics for her to learn on her own.

"**I**," she made a complete about face and charged in the direction of the blond male, "**asked**," his horse reared when she yelled loudly dumping him before galloping away with a sharp whinny, "**you**," he rolled aside as her fist hit the ground again. The fissure caused by her angry blow, forced him to keep rolling. Turning on her heel sharply, she eyed the one called Hyuuga, who had long dismounted his warhorse to face her, "**a**," and this time she ran at him instead, kicking a fierce leg out, forcing him to duck the wild attack. Her foot connected with the tree trunk directly behind him, "_QUESTION! DAMMIT_!"

The top half of the canopy of the tree hit the forest floor, the crashing sound frightened the horses. It sent them into a furious gallop, with the confused men still sitting in the saddle and holding onto the reigns for dear life.

By the time the dust cleared and settled, she found herself facing the four males who were the only ones left of the bunch. She returned to a fighting stance once again, her eyes darting between the each of them. The vicious look daring them to even _think_ about attacking her. She would make them sorry if they even got within an arm's length of her.

Finally the leader spoke. His voice indicated he wasn't none too happy with divulging the information but he was fed up with the ordeal, "I am Itachi Uchiha, this is my younger brother Sasuke," he indicated the rude young male who had addressed her earlier before turning to gesture towards the blond and lilac-eyed male, "Naruto Uzumaki, and Neji Hyuuga. We come under the banner of the Konoha Alliance. We were sent here to meet with Ixion's leadership at their query beneath the flag of diplomacy. I am loathed to think they proffered an invitation only to send you out to waste our time."

Her eyes widened at the frostily and just a little more than angrily delivered words. Green eyes narrowed with the dawning realization of what she'd done. Her fists clenched at her sides. Anger coiled into an angry knot in the pit of her stomach. If that was the case, then why did they send her out here to deal with them in the first place? From what this Itachi Uchiha said, the elders should have heard about their arrival way ahead of time.

Maybe the elders had set her up, hoping that these shinobi would finish her off if she came out challenged them. Even with her limited experience of the world Sakura knew that the shinobi lifestyle was one centered around the ideals of violence to obtaining what they desired.

Straightening, her spine stiff with the remnants of her pride in tatters. Sakura tilted her head to the side, sharply eyeing the male. She couldn't detect any falseness in his words. Rage white and hot filled her when she realized how thoroughly she'd been duped. She could feel her temper struggling to surface. She was beginning to desire nothing more than to go smash something into a million broken pieces.

The males watching her was amused at first by the visible signs of temper on her dirt stained visage.

Their entertainment didn't last very long. It didn't take long for them to notice her emanating yellow chakra from her fists. The sight made them leery of her intentions. Sakura suddenly announced in a surprisingly calm tone, "Well since that seems to be the case..." She turned just to march straight back to the gates of the city before stopping in front of them. She looked skywards for a small moment. She breathed in a deep, calming breath of oxygen in her lungs. She didn't even bother to tell the guards to open the gates. Cocking back an elbow, the young woman sent a satisfying fist through the large wooden, steel-laced entrance. The doors flew off the hinges, sending the populace nearby scattering in a minor panic. The wood panels hit the ground with a satisfying thud.

The nearby guards ran up to the young woman, their expressions wary of the tiny volatile female.

"It seems these men are honored guests of the Council. Why in the hell was I summoned if these people are supposed to be guests of the city?" She snapped at the captain of the guard as he approached her, brushing the other gaping sentries aside. Her angry green eyes bore into his watery gray orbs mercilessly.

"My apologies Lady Haruno. I had no idea. I was doing as I was ordered," he replied, his thumb going to his collar as if he were letting off nervous steam. The rumors of superstition surrounding her kept everyone at an arm's length. So even the captain of the guard wouldn't push his luck with her, unless he wanted to be cursed by her 'dark magic.' It was all she could do not to roll her eyes.

The shinobi watched the interaction with avid interest.

"I see," she bit back icily, "Then this has nothing to do with me."

She didn't bother to look back at the visitors as she turned to stride up the dirt path with anger filled steps to the haven of her home. When she slammed into the small shrine styled house, her black cat was startled by her mistress's overly loud entry. She gave a yowl of protest before jumping off of the ledge onto the old creaky wooden floor. The feline glared up at Sakura, her tail twitching with irritation.

Sakura's green eyes focused on her pet, "Sorry Hana."

Kneeling she ran a hand over the cat's smooth fur, and then she adjusted the pink collar that was a bit skewed, so that the bell hung properly on her pet.

Appeased that her human greeted her, the feline's tail twitched one more time before she stalked away as if she owned the place.

Her pet's attitude brought an amused smile to the young woman's face. The last vestiges of her ire forgotten for the moment. She glanced around the sparse room, that contained pretty much only the necessities. A plain brown couch, a matching rug in one corner. Off to the side, a tiny kitchenette could be seen peeking through a veil of old curtains shifted to the side of the tiny entrance. Next to that, through a set of simple shoji doors, was the small bedroom with tatami mats. It was her sleeping space with her bed tucked in the corner.

Her mind kept going back to the run in with Konoha's diplomats. She wondered how the Council was going to react to their plans going awry. She doubted they would do anything, but act like nothing had happened. Shaking her head, still irked by the whole fiasco, she decided to finish her daily chores of maintaining the shrine to take her mind off of it. By the time she was finished with her usual duties the sun was beginning to set in the horizon. Exhausted mentally and physically, she gathered a set of fresh clothing before stepping out of the house to go to the small bathhouse at the back edge of the property.

Feeling much refreshed after washing away the grime of the day, she headed back to her home listening to the sound of her own sandals heels clacking against the hard path. Her chin lifted when she heard the sound of voices. Her eyes widened in surprise. No one ever came out this close to the old shrine. Curious, she set her dirty clothes down on the porch, and determinedly set out to see who it was.

The baritone depth to the chatter indicated that it was a couple of men. Their voices also sounded very, very familiar to her. Frowning as she headed to the front of the property, she peeked around the gate. Whomever it was, was coming up the hill with obviously no intentions of turning around. She could hear their footsteps crunching loudly against the gravel path as they drew closer.

"This is actually a very spacious area for such an old city. There is no housing around here. Just trees, and this trail. We could probably use this section for development," one of the voices said, "Since it's a hill. It would make a good compound for one of the clans."

"I don't know about that. The civilians are pretty frightened of this place," the other responded in a thoughtful tone.

"Nonsensical superstitions mean nothing to me."

Eyelids fell half-mast. She didn't like the sound of those words. What the hell did they mean by 'section for development'? The elders knew very well that this was her family's property, and they couldn't touch it until she died - if she never had any children to inherit it anyway. Shoving open the gate, she marched out to the small road striding out visibly into the open.

She stood in the middle of the trail, planting folded fists on the cradle of her hips. She couldn't help the shock she felt when she realized it was two of the diplomats that she met earlier that day. Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuuga, she recalled their names from the terse introduction. Her left eyebrow twitched irritably at the memory. It certainly wasn't something she'd forget any time soon.

Sakura interrupted their conversation, clearing her throat loudly drawing their eyes to her, "What are you doing all the way out here? And on private property?"

The two males halted and eyed her thoughtfully. Neither responded. Instead, they looked at the old shrine behind her curiously.

"I didn't even realize there was a building here," Naruto spoke out loud to his companion, ignoring the woman.

Neji smirked over at the small female, "So you're the town witch the villagers speak of."

"Yes I am. And if you don't go the hell away, I'll make sure to curse you," her wet tresses covered her face, as she dipped her chin. Peeking through her damp bangs she sent him a malicious look. The silvery moonlight bathing her features and reflected off her vibrant green eyes giving her an eerie air, "I think a spell to make your testicles shrivel into prunes so that you will be unable to produce any heirs. Hmm, I believe _that _should do just fine."

She began to absently stroke her chin, turning her back on the both of them, mumbling to herself, "Toad's eyes, bat's blood, and..." she started to tick off her fingers listing the fake ingredients. For effect, she began to leak a bit of yellow chakra from the soles of her feet. Sakura mused, she hadn't had to scare off people in quite a while. She hoped that she wasn't too rusty to pull it off effectively.

Naruto chuckled nervously at the bizarre girl, "Well, we're sorry to have disturbed you. We'll just be on our way then. We didn't realize that there was a house up here."

Sakura just turned her head, the long, wet strands of her hair sliding over her shoulders. Her cold green eyes were less then welcoming, "Good. I'm glad that we understand each other."

The Hyuuga merely sent her an icy glare before pivoting on his heel sharply to follow the blond back the way they had come. The moment they were out of sight the hard lines around her eyes melted away, and her shoulders slumped in relief. The young women slowly returned to her home to once again picking up her clothes on the way to enjoy another lonely meal of natto and white rice. It was just the way she liked things.

-o-

Sakura was up before dawn. Dressed in her usual maroon hakama, and jacket ensemble, she went about her morning rituals. As she swept the dusty wooden floors of the front porch, she sang merrily to the rhythm of the bristles of the broom against the hard wood, "Oh tanuki, Shukaku, lord of the wind. Good fortune blows in with the breath of Zephyr. The night has gone Nekomata, and the silver eye of the moon, whom watches over the souls of the living rests in slumber. Oh Isonade, the fisherman prays for your rain, drawing their catch to the surface of your blue waters."

She paused a moment smiling at Hana, her cat who had jumped on the railing. Her triangle-shaped head tilting to the side, as if she were actually listening to her mistress's slightly off key song.

Sakura continued cheerfully with a smile and a conspiratorial wink at the black feline who watched her with curious amber eyes, "Sokou, may your hibernation be peaceful, and the voices of the living – wake you not. Houkou, all the elements bow to your wisdom. Raiju, I hear the distant thunder, your voice a brilliant white light over the darkened lands. Kaku, lord of the earth, spring blossoms and the farmers pray your blessings upon the harvests. Yamata no Orochi, the spirits of evil tremble at the mention of your name, but you are part of the balance that must be kept. Kyuubi, king of the Bijuu, your fiery inferno lays waste to the legions of your enemies."

It was an old rhyme her parents had taught her as a child so that she could remember the names of those she was supposed to protect. Pausing mid-sweep, Sakura glanced out towards the ancient trail. It let to the top of the large hill. It was almost the time of the year, for the full moon heralding the spring equinox. She would have to reapply the seal on the invisible gates and offer a prayer, and light the candles once again very soon.

She stiffened when a voice interrupted her musings, "Lady Haruno. The Council of Elders requests your presence."

Sakura lifted eyes lacking any welcoming warmth towards the captain of the guard, "When?"

"As soon as possible," he bowed nervously and politely in her direction.

Lifting her chin, she tilted her face thoughtfully taken aback by the sudden summons, "I see. Thank you. I will be right there."

Straightening he nodded quickly, looking nothing more than ready to leave the premises, "I will convey your message. Thank you Lady Haruno."

Sighing deeply as he left abruptly. She lifted her fingers to the bridge of her nose, shutting her eyes for a moment. Releasing a calming breath, Sakura entered the shrine, and quickly dressed into her rubicund hued formal robes. Embroidered on the back, was a white ring, indicating the eternal circle of the life that she protected. The Haruno crest. She brushed out her hair and put it up into a quick formal chignon. She snapped her bell bracelets that once belonged to her mother on both wrists.

Leaving the shrine in a hurried pace, she laced her hands together inside the large bell shaped sleeves. Striding down the hill, she held her bearing and stature as one of refined dignity. She wouldn't allow the Council of Elders to realize still how angry she was with them. At least, not in front of strangers. Even if she felt they deserved it.

She could feel the eyes of the populace on her as she walked through the busy streets. She was out and about two days in a row. Their brains were probably ready to implode, she thought to herself wryly. Their openly curious stares were agitating her far more than they usually did. Still, she kept her gaze on the large, tower shaped building at the western edge of the town, tucked near the rugged cliff side. The city guard bowed in fearful respect when she halted at the entrance. They opened the way for her, and stepped aside to allow her passage. The hem of her garment swirled with the swift movement of her steps. Sakura just wanted to get the whole ordeal done and over with. The less she had to deal with the dogs of the Council, the more content she would be.

Finally, she arrived at the top of the building, where the Council met nearly on a daily basis. The captain of the guard who had been waiting for her arrival sent her a nervous smile. He opened the door announcing to the Council, "Lady Haruno has arrived, my lords."

Sakura stepped forth onto the plush, blue carpet. She held her chin at a haughty angle, "Good morning," she took quick notice that the four diplomats hailing from the Konoha Alliance were present. She paid them no mind, but still her eyes darkened to angry viridian at the memory of yesterday afternoon. Her face was otherwise vacant of emotion.

"Lady Haruno, we are _pleased _that you came so quickly. There is much we have to discuss with you," the head of the Council spoke. The old woman was the fiercest of the bunch, leading the old men with her wrinkled hands in an unforgiving iron dictatorship. Sakura was the only person in the town of whom she feared. However, that didn't mean that she didn't try press her luck from time to time. Or perhaps the elderly woman respected her in her own way. Sakura had never been quite certain of the elderly woman's true feelings. The others however, was a different manner.

"Please, get straight to the point. I'm not in the mood to deal with your fake smiles today," the shrine warrior waved a rudely dismissive hand at Koharu Utatane.

Her wrinkled visage darkened with anger at the young woman's blatant disrespect in front of their guests. The four Shinobi waited for the old lady to explode on the disrespectful girl and was surprised when she didn't but instead nodded, "Yes well, we have come to a decision concerning the city. We are going to align ourselves with the Konoha Alliance. They will become apart of Ixion. When they complete the move - the city will become known as Konohagakure and..."

"And this concerns me how?" Sakura tried to keep the shock off of her face. But by the looks on the faces of the young men watching her with shrewd eyes, she knew she hadn't quite succeeded.

"Lord Hyuuga expressed an interest in your property. And we thought that perhaps that you would consider..." Homura Mitokado interjected quickly. He was the second in command of the Ixion Council.

"Absolutely not," Sakura's face flushed, fuming at his audacity. Her voice became a hiss of rage, "How dare you even suggest such a thing? This city was founded by my clan. That happens to be the land of my ancestors. I care not what you do with the rest of the city. If you wish to allow yourselves to be taken over by strangers, that is no concern of mine. But if anyone dares to even look at the home of my kin the wrong way, I will make _you_ all very, very _sorry_."

The entire committee of board members paled at the blatant threat minus the old woman who didn't look surprised by Sakura's reaction. She turned angry malachite orbs in the Hyuuga's direction, "I trust my lord you will find another area suitable to your clan's future needs. There is plenty of property open for new development."

"Indeed," was the tight monosyllabic reply from the seemingly emotionless male.

Naruto was eyeing her warily. He was half expecting the strange girl, dressed in robes that were completely archaic in style to detonate in a fit of temper at any moment. His eyebrows drew together thoughtfully. Not even the elderly monks and priestesses of the modern religions wore the kind of clothing this young woman was garbed in. She was an odd one to say the least.

Sasuke was silently waiting for someone to put the chit in her place. For some reason she just annoyed him. Her rude attitude made his eyebrow twitch. It didn't help that he found the sound of her voice irritating either.

Itachi merely watched the entire proceedings thoughtfully. He felt something was off with the whole thing. Yes, the young woman had a strong chakra signature, and she utilized her abilities in an interesting way. However, he couldn't understand why she evoked such fear from not only the civilians but also from the Council of Elders who had a miniature army of men at their disposal. She had a title, but she was not dressed as a noble, nor did she carry herself as one. She was a tiny little thing, buried beneath those large and old-fashioned garments. Hardly someone to be afraid of in his opinion. He hated to admit though that he was just a bit more then a tad curious about her. Even that pastel pink hair of hers was unusual.

He spoke, his smooth and commanding tenor drawing the attention of the entire room, "We understand your desire to do your duty to your family. Now that we understand your standing, no one will bother your familial ancestral grounds. I take it you will not interfere with the merging of clans and the structural change of the city?"

"If your alliance desired to burn Ixion to ashes, I still would not bother to intrude upon your agreement. Just keep _your_ people away from my home, and all shall be well and peaceful." The bell on her wrist jangled as she gave a 'I could care less' flourish of the hand.

His onyx orbs narrowed at her impudent lack of manners. He was further aggravated to see that the Ixion Council looked relieved by her admission. Her tone of voice was anything but respectful.

Homura cleared his throat loudly, "Do not concern yourself Lady Haruno. The protection of the shrine grounds shall be written into the agreement with the Konoha leaders."

"I would like to see the contract then before it is signed." She lifted a palm stemming the protest wanting to burst from the red-faced council, "Preferably just the section that pertains to my family's grounds. As I said before I hold no interest in anything else."

Koharu finally gave a nod of acquiescence, "That's fine. If you would step outside Lady Haruno while we discuss the rest of the terms with our guests. We will have the guard fetch you before we sign the agreement."

Sakura inclined her head regally, her jewel-toned eyes falling on each member of the board daring them to double cross her, "I understand. I will be just right outside then."

With a swirl of her robes, she swept out the door. Once the captain of the guard shut it behind her, she went to lean against the opposite wall, the fatigue in the lines of her face showing a crack in her armor for the first time in front of the young man. He tilted his head to the side and studied her more closely than he ever had. He realized with a stunning jolt that she was actually pretty, in her own exotic way that was. She wasn't wearing the usual permanent dark scowl and it did wonders for her petite, oval face. His hand tightened over the wooden staff of his glaive. He had never really contemplated how small and slender she actually was. She was just a smidgen over five feet, if he had to guesstimate.

The young woman could feel the sudden intensity of the guard's scrutiny. Lifting her eyes, she didn't like the contemplative look on the captain's face. She nearly snarled at him, her lip curling over her teeth in a sneer, "Do you find what you see interesting?"

An incriminating blush spread over his tanned cheeks, "I'm sorry Lady Haruno. I didn't mean to seem rude. It's just that..." he glanced away, "you rarely show yourself in public."

Sakura merely sighed and averted her face. What the heck did he mean by that? She did work part time at Ichiraku Ramen. Sure, she worked in the back washing the dishes but still, it wasn't like she was a complete hermit. She needed cash like anyone else to buy food, and other essentials. Old man Teuchi the owner of the place, had been on good terms with her parents, and so unlike most of the populace he didn't fear her and had no issues with giving her a part-time job. Although, he did have her working in the back so that the customers wouldn't be upset by her presence. She doubted anyone other then his daughter, knew that she even worked there.

They stood in awkward silence for a good fifteen minutes, before the door was opened and she was beckoned back inside.

Immediately she strode over to the table, and Homura pointed out the section she wanted to see with a knobby appendage. Scanning it's contents, she was satisfied by the fact that no matter what occurred, her property would be hers and hers alone. It even stated that if she produced any heirs that the property would stay in her family's line and if she failed to have any, then it would go to the city and would remain untouched by development. She nodded pleased, "Very well. I cannot find fault in it. The terms are agreeable."

With that, the treaty was signed and the Shinobi left, with a copy of the document to take back to their alliance.

Once they were gone, Sakura straightened and folded her arms against her chest, "Are all of you actually all right with such a decision? Once those _people_ come in, the culture of the people here, will completely disappear with the newcomers mingling with the residents. Are you fine with with seeing the old ways forgotten?"

Koharu sighed, her age had never been more apparent then in that moment, "I thought you didn't care Lady Haruno."

"I am not going to show how I really feel to outsiders," Sakura admitted honestly, "I understand your desire to blend in with the rest of the world is strong. But is this wise? They are Shinobi. Will this really bring true safety to Ixion? Everyone knows that war often breaks out between the Shinobi clans. If they begin bicker amongst themselves, it will put the rest of us in danger."

The elderly woman folded her hands on the lacquered surface of the table before meeting Sakura's earnest gaze, "I know you hide yourself away in that Kami-forsaken shrine of yours. So it may have escaped your notice that the borders around us are forming into a Country. They are beginning to call the space within these borders Fire Country. A Daimyo is already taking up residence in the largest city. It is now slowly becoming the Capital. If we do not conform, we would be completely consumed by them. It is better that we live, then to die a wasteful death. The old ways died with your grandparents Lady Haruno. Your parents struggled to keep them alive, but even still despite all the impressive power they held they lost their lives for their forgotten legends. It is something that is best left in the past. We have not ever denied you the right to protect your heritage, but with merely the tiny price of silence."

Sakura slammed an angry fist down on the table startling them with a sudden display of temper, "Oh really? Then what the hell was yesterday? You knew they were coming and yet you had the guard send me out to treat them as enemies. Did you perhaps hope that I would fall beneath their blades?"

Homura spoke up, the wrinkles at the edges of his eyes deepening as he assessed her coolly, "No. It was not your death we desired. I freely admit we sent you out there knowing full well who they were. It was done on your behalf. We wanted you to secure your own position amongst them. Since it is well known that you wish to remain apart from everyone else, it was best they came to realize that for themselves."

She relaxed slightly at that statement. She linked her arms together against her chest, the tinkle of the bells ringing in the short breadth of the awkward silence between her and the Council, "I see. If that was the case. A warning would have been nice at the very least," she turned her back on them, "I just hope you don't regret your decision. People like them will devour us whole if we are not cautious. The ways of your ancestors will disappear with you."

"It is for the best," Homura's voice followed her as she strode out the door. Sakura merely shook her head as she shut it behind her. On their heads be it, she thought with an airy, resolute sigh passing through her lips. She would take no part of it.

-o-

Hana sat next to her mistress. They were sitting both on the red roof of the shrine that looked out over the whole village. Sakura had dressed decidedly casual that morning. She had slipped into a pair of serviceable black shorts, and zip up cranberry colored top with her family's symbol on the back. It was completed with a pastel pink skirt apron cloth over the top of her shorts. Her left knee was drawn up, and she was hunched over slightly. She rested her chin on top of the smooth skin.

"Would you look at that Hana? It's not been a full week and they are all already pretty much moved in." She patted the cat's head absentmindedly, "We're being invaded." She finished with a dry chuckle.

"Meow," the cat responded, while rubbing up against her hip with a purr – which Sakura believed translated to, _'I could care less human. I want to be fed.'_

"All right already cat," Sakura rose to her feet. Placing a hand over her eyes, she gazed out into the distance. She was amazed by all the buildings popping up literally everywhere with the colorful specs of construction workers practically hanging off the sides in their haste to get the homes built. She could tell the current residents were actually pleased with the newcomers arriving by the wagon loads. The prevalent changes in the country borders surrounding them had probably made the populace nervous. For them, this was the best course of action. Not only would they become apart of the newly forming Fire Country but they would also receive protection as well. She knew that the Council had made the decision based mostly on what they felt was best for the greater population.

She never thought she'd see the day when those old bats would finally retire. Her cat reminded her once more with another insistent mew that it was her feeding time. The girl jumped off of the roof. Hana followed, via hopping onto a nearby tree branch, and climbing down the thick barked trunk with an agility only felines had. Sakura strode into the house. She headed straight to the dimly lit kitchen, and pulled out a can of her cat's usual fare. Pouring the smelly contents into a porcelain white bowl, she griped at the cat threading around her ankles, "You get to eat meat more often than I do."

Setting the dish on the floor. She straightened slowly, watching the cat streak towards the bowl before practically burying her face into her food. With a slight smile still on her face she turned to grab her work apron that hung a metal hook, and set off for her part-time job. With nimble fingers, she reached down into the left pocket and pulled out a dark piece of cloth. She tied the black kerchief over her tightly woven bun, to hide her hair from view as she walked out of the gate. When she dressed so nondescript, no one usually noticed her true identity. She locked the shrine gate behind her, before taking the short-cut through the small wooded area down to the city streets. All around her, it was bustling, and as lively as she'd ever seen it. Wooden skeletons of the buildings were popping up out all over the place. She noticed it from her home, but up close it almost seemed practically surreal. She could see the outlines of some of the future clan compounds in the distance. Not only was the city already expanding, the face of it was also changing rapidly.

The differences in architectural design was quite noticeable to her. And thus Ixion would soon be forgotten, she thought to herself. Maybe the elders were right. Perhaps it would be best for the past to be lost to the folds of time. After all, the last secrets of the Bijuu would die with her. The world was moving away from the ancient beliefs, and in the end such a thing would be good for the earth spirits. Repeated history proved time and time again that humans abused power. Sakura would complete her life's duty as a shrine warrior, in silence. She would be the last gate keeper.

Entering the back of the small ramen shop, Teuchi caught the brooding look on Sakura's face, "Hey kid! You're far too young to have such a serious look in your eyes."

A smile touched the corner of Sakura's lips. It was nice to be talked to normally once in awhile she thought appreciatively. She gave him a small nod, "You're right. I'm sorry."

He hooked a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face and looked into her eyes, "No fake smiles are allowed either. Besides - I'm going to need you at the front counter tonight."

"What? Wait? Where's Ayame? I don't think that's such a good idea..." She protested with flushing cheeks.

"Nonsense. It's really busy and with all these strangers moving into town. I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal. Put on the uniform, and keep your kerchief on to hide your hair. You'll be golden," He backed away and gave her a thumb's up sign, followed with a smile that made her eyebrow tick a couple times.

Sakura made a face, "I still don't think that's..." She trailed off uncertainly.

He shoved the uniform his daughter normally wore into her arms, "Go ahead and get changed. I'll meet you upfront. It's easy, I promise. All you have to do is hand them their bowls and clear away when they finish."

Before she could object again, he went through the door connecting to the small cooking area that sat behind the service counter. With a sigh, Sakura quickly did as she was bade. It really wasn't all that bad. It was a simple white kimono, with a matching kerchief to cover the hair. She opted to keep the black one on, and left the white material folded neatly on the counter in the back. Breathing in a deep sigh, she ducked into the small kitchenette. She nearly stumbled back when Teuchi shoved a bowl of steaming hot ramen into her hands, "Give that to the gentlemen on the far right." He ordered her curtly.

"Okay," she murmured obediently before, she delivered the bowl as bade. The customer didn't even bother to look up at her face. She turned around with a sigh of relief. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all. The man didn't even seem to really notice her.

"What are you doing?" Teuchi harped at her, while holding out two bowls over the counter and serving the next in line himself, "The customers are waiting."

With flaming cheeks at being admonished for being too slow, she muttered a breathy apology before squaring her shoulders and doing what had to be done.

The hours seemed to melt away, as she handed out the food and collected the dirty bowls all afternoon. For the most part, it went just as Teuchi said it would. She glanced past the flaps of the small ramen bar, taking note that it was already getting dark. Business had slowed down quite a bit, and so Teuchi had her go to the back to wash up the dishes to get ready for the dinner rush.

The way the day was going she didn't really have time to contemplate the happenings of the city. Perhaps keeping her mind busy was a good thing. Sakura tightened the knot on her skullcap and with a deep sigh, she took out the stack of clean bowls and eating utensils to Teuchi. Carefully she set them down next to the large cooking pots. He offered her a small grin and a wink, "Just in time Haruno. It seems we have a group with big appetites coming in."

"Dammit teme if you don't like ramen, then go eat somewhere else," a familiar voice groused from just outside the shop.

"I didn't say that I didn't like it. But you want to eat the stuff every damn day," the response made her stiffen when she felt a shudder of recognition, "This is a pretty large village. There are other restaurants here, you know."

She knew those voices. You have to be kidding, she thought to herself with a roll of the eyes. Her shoulders stiffened perceptibly. Teuchi turned with a big, and overly cheerful smile at his face. He was obviously well acquainted with the young blond man. His smile was large and toothy, "Uzumaki. It's a pleasure to see you again. What can I get you today?"

Sakura glanced between the two males and sighed with a slump of the shoulders. Old man Teuchi hardly ever smiled like that. He must look at Naruto Uzumaki and see money, Sakura thought to herself almost mutinously.

"I'll take the same as usual."

"Special number four?" the ramen shop owner queried.

"Yep," Naruto replied cheerfully, with a brilliant smile.

"I'll have what he's having," Sasuke added dully before sitting down in the stool, and slumping over the counter. His body language of not wanting to be there was completely obvious. Sakura was a bit gratified to see his discomfort. At least she wasn't the only one feeling that way at the moment.

Within seconds, the bowls were filled with their orders. Sakura quickly set the food down in front of them and turned away. She'd rather they not recognize her. When she glanced back she realized that Naruto was staring at her through half-slit eyes, "Oi old Teuchi, where's Ayame?"

"She's not here today. Sakura is helping out today instead," Teuchi announced to her consternation.

Her green eyes warily glanced back waiting for a caustic comment from one of them. When none came, her eyebrows drew together thoughtfully. Maybe with her hair covered, they didn't recognize her. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't given them her first name. They only knew her as Lady Haruno. Thank the Bijuu, she thought to herself in relief. She just hoped that they'd hurry up and eat their food, pay the bill and leave.

She was hard pressed to keep the irritation off of her face when Naruto and Sasuke both ordered second portions. She continued to serve them, but kept her body angled away so they couldn't get a good look at her features. Sakura was also subconsciously keeping her chakra signature suppressed. By the time she handed Naruto his fourth bowl, she was beginning to see why Teuchi had been so happy to see him. The kid ate ramen, like a horse ate hay. She'd never seen anyone eat so much of the stuff. The noodles and meat were very filling. She could never eat a second bowl herself.

"Where's Sai?" Naruto suddenly asked his companion.

"Why are you asking me dobe?" Sasuke groused, propping his chin in the cradle of his palm.

"You were the last one who seen him teme," the male reminded his teammate after slurping up a mouthful of noodles loudly.

"He said something about helping Kakashi Hatake with a project." He dismissed the blond and added, "That's all I know."

Sakura rolled her eyes at the man's biting tone. And the original residents in this village _thought_ she was tetchy. It looked like she had new competition for the title of the town recluse and resident grouch. He made it all look so effortless, she thought bemused her lips quirking at the amusing thought

"Hey Sakura," Naruto's voice made her jump.

"Y - yes sir. Did you need something else?" She queried softly. Her voice held an edge to it, that made Teuchi glance back at her with an arched brow.

"You're not very talkative Sakura. Normally Ayame likes to have a conversation with us." He set his empty bowl on the upper counter.

"I'm sorry," Sakura responded, but the words held no meaning or emotion in them.

Sasuke snapped at Naruto, "Not everyone likes to run their mouth all damn day long like you do dobe."

"Hey Sakura, you've worked a longer shift then I normally have you do. If you want to go home, go on ahead. I'll send you home with some takeout tonight as thanks," Teuchi noticed her features were pale and withdrawn. He figured that she was probably exhausted with all the changes going on in town.

Sakura wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Thank you. I should be heading home."

In a flash of white, the young woman was through the door before any of the males could get out another word. She changed in record time. Sakura was out the back exit and into the dark streets, her strides short and quick. By the time she was halfway up the path to the shrine, she realized that she hadn't bothered to grab that take-out Teuchi had so graciously offered her. Oh well, it was white rice, and natto tonight. Again.

Sighing she folded her arms against her chest to ward of the nighttime chill, eager to settle in for the evening. A nice, long bath in the hot springs sounded heavenly. It was truly the only luxury on her property. One she took advantage of regularly.

When she reached the peak of the trail, her heart squeezed in her chest. She noticed someone standing emerged halfway in the shadows of the falling night. She squinted and when she recognized who it was, she wanted to cradle her forehead against her palm. The shadowy silhouette of Itachi Uchiha moved into the dim light of the moon, leaning against the wall that was supposed to keep the rest of the world out of her little haven. Was today, just not her day? She had just left one Uchiha for another. It was all she could do not to stomp her foot in frustration.

"So – the mistress of the mysterious residence finally returns," he quipped caustically without bothering to look in her direction.

"Lord Uchiha." She grit her teeth, grinding the molars with abject irritation. "To what do I owe the _displeasure _of your visit? I thought we had agreed that _you people_ would stay the hell away from my home?"

"You really have no manners," he responded coldly.

"I see. So now that we have confirmed the truth about that aspect of my persona. Why don't you take your leave off of my property?"

"The proper thing to do, would be for you to invite me in for tea," He straightened up and angled his body to face her.

"I am sorry to disappoint you, but you are in correct in that I have no manners. I'd just end up spitting in your tea anyway." She gave a callous and careless shrug irked by his arrogant statement, "So why bother?"

He stepped towards her the mask of indifference beginning to crack under the strain of her unrestrained impertinence. Sakura was not in the least bit intimidated when he moved close enough to tower over her just to glare down into her face.

"I've tried asking the elders about you. After they had no answers, I questioned the civilians – even the guards. No one seems to know anything about this shrine, or about you. Well the residents do honestly believe you're a witch of some kind," he thrust his hands into his pockets casually, attempting to regain his stoic manner, "but really - it's more than obvious that _you_ are nothing to be afraid of."

"That's nice." Sakura was doing her best to keep a tight reign on temper. What was it about this man that got her riled up so easily? She tried to step around him but he blocked her path.

"So I decided that the most obvious conclusion to this was – that I should just seek answers from the source." His apathetic gaze followed her every movement, which was beginning to set her on nervous edge.

Sakura put a fingertip to her throbbing temple. She sighed wearily, "Didn't you just already do whatever it is that shinobi do and explore the shrine for yourself?"

"No."

"Oh." She was taken aback by the quick, curt response. If he was that bent on digging into her secrets, then wouldn't he have just done what she just said?

"We signed an agreement of terms. I would not do such a thing without orders to do so." He explained without any inflection in his tone.

"Well then, I would appreciate you keeping to that contract. My life, and what I do is none of your business. You don't see me sticking my nose into your private affairs. I would ask that you return the damn favor," her voice was tight with irritation. She didn't believe he would hold true to that, but she kept that thought to herself. Provoking him further would do her little good.

Deciding she had more than enough of the annoying male, she pushed chakra into the soles of her feet, so that she could use speed to just go around him. It was obvious he didn't plan on moving out of her way, and she was too tired to deal with this tonight. When she attempted to just run around him, she felt his hand shackling her wrist tightly forcing her to an abrupt stop. A surprised gasp left her at his audacity. Her shock at the sudden contact kept her from reacting to the rough handling of her person. She let out a soft yelp when her back hit the wall sharply and rather painfully. She lifted her chin, her eyes trailed warily upward. She had to suppress a flinch at the hard and unrelenting look on his face.

At first Sakura was at a loss of how to react in this situation. Indignation sparked in her heart. What had she done to draw his wrath down upon her hapless head? If he expected her to be frightened of him, he was in for a nice little surprise, because his behavior was only serving to make her angry. The lost look of confusion on her face was replaced with heated pique. Her eyes sparked emerald fire up at him. Her voice pitched an octave lower, the husky anger in her tone alerting him to the fact she was about ready to erupt, "So violence is your thing is it? Why am I not surprised?"

He ignored her caustic words, and instead got to the point, "It is my business. You aren't a shinobi, but yet you are able to use chakra. In a very unusual way, I might add. I find your abilities a threat to the merging of this city with the Konoha Alliance. You're not a real noble either, according to the elders. You are like a loose end, but of what, no one seems to know. I _will_ not ignore this."

Sakura continued to glare mutinously up into his face. She immediately began to infuse chakra into her limbs. If he really wanted a fight, then she was going to give him one. Who in the hell did he think he was anyway to threaten her like this? This was her home first. Who was a threat to who? He was the one who had it all backwards.

"Don't even contemplate it." He brandished a kunai from out of the veil of shadows. In the blink of an eye, he had the tip aimed at the pulse point of her throat.

"Go ahead and finish me off then." Sakura really didn't want him to do that, but she wouldn't divulge her clan's secrets just to mollify his misplaced concern about her supposed threat. "Either way, you will not be given any information." To her, duty was duty.

Itachi could see by the look in her eyes that she was dead serious. Even still, he didn't back off yet.

"I'm not afraid of you," she announced tersely, her control on her anger finally snapping and spiraling out of control, "Are you used to bullying people to get your way? Is that your Shinobi culture? You all are nothing but a bunch of power hungry mongrels, the way I see it. I will die a dog's death before I'd tell someone like you anything. Go ahead and slit my throat you bastard. I will just make sure to curse you to the very depths of hell."

Sharp obsidian widened at the tiny female's fiery tirade.

Sakura noticed his momentary distraction and took the chance to grab his wrist with her free hand. She yanked the appendage away from her vulnerable skin, before delivering a hard snap kick to his chest. He was forced to take several steps back, giving her enough room to move away from the wall. At least she didn't feel like a cornered rodent anymore, she thought fiercely clenching her fingers into curled fists.

Itachi lifted his head quickly, eyes darting to see where she'd gone. He figured that the woman would have tried to make her escape while he recovered from the surprisingly bruising blow. He smirked in dark amusement when he instead found her still glaring at him, her ribs and torso heaving heavily with visible signs of anger. Did she really have the audacity to just kick him? Didn't she realize just who she was dealing with? His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. There had been chakra in that kick and also during the time when she had used it when she forced his hand holding the kunai away from her neck. Her use of chakra was unorthodox as was her various fighting styles. He didn't like the idea of someone like that walking around freely in Konoha without any supposed allegiance to anyone.

Sakura was absolutely livid with him at his point. How dare he behave this way on her family's sacred ground? Her home! Ripping the kerchief off of her head, she threw it in the dirt and pointed at him in a fit of temper, "You know what? Maybe I _should _just kick your rude ass. You're uppity attitude seriously pisses me the hell off. You come to _my home _to bully me. You think I'm some coward that would tremble in fright at the sight of your pathetic shinobi abilities?" She stomped her sandal clad foot, creating a tiny crater beneath her heel, "You believe your wretched threats would make me tell you whatever you want to know, just like that?"

Sakura marched over to him and poked a brave finger in his chest. He froze, looking down at the offending digit, amazed by her sudden fearlessness. She snarled up into his face, her lips curling revealing pearly white teeth, "Well guess what, you freaking Uchiha? You. Are. Wrong." She could tell she was making him angry, by the way his eyebrows came together sharply and also how his black orbs grew flintier by the second. She had noticed the same look on Sasuke's face when she had first challenged the four of them at the city's gate. What she didn't expect however was for his midnight hued eyes, to suddenly melt into crimson in the time span of a blink. She had no idea what the hell that was all about, but she still raged on too hacked off to really care, "Don't you dare get all red-eyed on me you stupid bastard! I'm the one who is pissed off dammit!"

His visage suddenly took on a frightening predatory look. Sakura's instincts told her that he was way out of her league. It was the first time Sakura felt a small nibble of fear tickle her heart in the unwanted meeting between them.

Her anger fizzled out, and she was at a loss on how to respond to this explosive situation that she had part in making. She could tell by the way he held himself, he was about ready to spring, his shoulders were taunt like a tightly wound coil. He was probably contemplating the idea of mauling her into submission. The soft, familiar tinkle sound that Sakura knew so well, drew both of their attention in its direction. The tension between them loosened slightly at the unexpected interruption and she was hard pressed not to feel the relief blossoming in her chest. She glanced down at Hana, who was padding over to them curiously. Her amber eyes flicked between Sakura and the stranger. She probably wanted to know why her mistress hadn't gone inside to feed her already, the pink haired woman thought in nearly hysterical amusement.

A quick, yet possibly the stupidest idea she'd ever had formulated in her already overtaxed brain. She bent over and picked up her cat. She nodded at the Uchiha with a firm nod. "Yes, you win. I'll tell you what you want to know."

He looked at her a moment, as if he didn't understand the words that were suddenly coming out of her mouth. It was too much of a quick turnaround in her attitude for him to keep up.

"Yes, you see," Sakura walked back over to him and lifted the confused black cat until Hana was face level with the stunned male. Hana looked at Itachi, a soft cute mew emitting from her small fuzzy body. Sakura watched the Uchiha's crimson eyes nearly go cross looking back at the cat's face. He looked just as puzzled as the feline. "I am a witch like everyone says I am."

Itachi gave her a look of dubious disbelief at the obviously blatant lies spilling from her mouth.

"I worship the Evil Dark Neko, and this here is His minion that He's entrusted me with to care for. If you don't leave me alone, I'll feed your soul to her. She's rather hungry you see. I mean -" Sakura knew she was babbling, but maybe he'd leave her alone if he thought she was out of her mind. She tacked on quickly, "She prefers tuna. And I'd imagine your soul would probably taste rather nasty and bitter anyway."

His eyes narrowed on the woman. Was she still insulting him while babbling nonsense at the same time? He looked at the black cat, with the pink collar incredulously. Did she think he was truly an idiot? His eyes narrowed.

"Okay well, I have to go light candles to His great and majestic darkness before He devours my soul," Sakura nodded at him as if it were Kami's honest truth. Then quickly she turned, and using the last vestiges of chakra in her heels, she jumped over the wall in a manner that would make any shinobi proud before he could even think to react to her ridiculous words, and actions.

On the other side, she looked down at her cat, "Thanks Hana. You're a lifesaver."

Hana sent her a dirty look.

"I'm sorry. I know you aren't some evil minion of darkness. I'll feed you a can of tuna tonight to make it up to you. Okay?" Sakura scratched the cat's head lovingly.

Hana continued to glare, ignoring the caress.

"All right, I'll give you a can for breakfast too. You know you drive a hard bargain cat?"

Satisfied by Sakura's promise, the cat mewed in response. Sakura's shoulders were set stiff, because she could still feel the Uchiha's menacing chakra signature just on the other side of the wall. She suddenly fervently hoped he wouldn't go back on his word about invading her property. She looked at the white wall warily. She never realized how little protection it truly afforded her. Sakura stepped onto the porch, and looked out past the gate. He was standing just on the other side. Their eyes met through it and locked in silent battle. The threat in his gaze made the hair on her neck stand on end. Putting her cat down, she put a fist saucily on her hip and tossed her hair over her shoulder. The look she sent him was merely a response to the blatant challenge. _Bring it!_

She refused to blink, or to show that he actually scared her. He crouched down, the movement liquid and smooth, reminiscent of a predator. He gave her one last look, and with a leap into the darkness beyond. He was gone. She could sense his retreating chakra signature in the opposite direction. She had the feeling he was letting her know he was actually leaving. When she could no longer feel it. Her knees gave out beneath her, and she sank down surprised at how relieved she felt. She knew he wasn't retreating and that instead it would be continued at another time.

A sharp nip on her big toe brought Sakura's chaotic thoughts back into focus and the present. She glanced down into Hana's golden eyes. With a mock sigh of agitation, she threw up her hands, "Sheesh! All right already!" Opening the door to her residence, her cat pranced inside like she was the owner of the house.

Sakura rolled her eyes, before following the feline inside, "Yes, yes. I'm coming."

With one last glance into the darkness behind her, she shut the door with a decisive click to settle in for the evening. She did her best to ignore the pounding of her heart as she went through the motions of feeding her cat, and getting ready for bed. It was a long while before slumber claimed the young woman.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N; **It's not that I'm writing this story fast. I know some of you are wondering maybe – why is she posting this all of a sudden? Honestly I've been working on this on and off for a long while. But I decided finally that I should post this after cleaning up the chapters as I go. I have to say, that due to two very good friends who have read nearly everything I've written, and you know who you are. Thank you. For you, because of you, I'm finally posting this. And to everyone else who is reading this story. Thank you as well. And without further ado...

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto, I just play in the sandbox left behind from the creator for a time.

**Chapter 2**

After the evening prior and her little run-in with the Uchiha, Sakura wasn't too keen on leaving the shrine for at the very least, a few days. However, even with her place being so far away from the rest of the village, the abnormally loud noise that morning made her curious enough to want to check it out for herself. She quickly dressed into a pair of black hakama pants, and a matching loose sleeved top. She hurried down the hill, eyes widening at the unusual ruckus. Was there a parade going on? The citizens were lined up along the sides of the streets, cheering wildly and throwing colorful paper confetti into the air. Children were running up and down past the abandoned vendor's stalls, laughing and playing games with each other. The elderly were all huddled together, gossiping in hushed voices with wide and happy smiles on their faces.

The morning breeze whipped the rainbow-hued paper, swirling it around wildly as it rained down into the streets. When several of the people around her seen who was standing near them, they parted to the side to give her some room. Even though they eyed her fearfully she nodded her head politely. Sweeping past the crowd, she came to a stop at the edge of the concrete sidewalk.

Thoughtful verdant orbs widened perceptibly. Several shinobi, dressed formally in black, marched side by side, in unison up the emptied streets. Sakura's eyes narrowed when she noticed the hitai-ite adorning their foreheads. The symbol of a leaf at the apex of the glistening, and freshly polished metal. The pink haired female nearly had to cover her ears when the excitement of the crowd began to grow louder, swelling in volume. Her head slowly turned, her eyes following the procession. Suddenly her gaze caught the sight of flowing material out of the peripheral of her vision. One of the shinobi was robed in pristine garments of white and red. He was flanked by two shinobi guards on each side. Her brows knit together, when she got a good look at the old man wearing them.

He was flanked by the two former council members of Ixion. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. A sudden gust of wind sent her bangs dancing against her temples. Lifting a wrist, the bell jangling softly as she brushed the strands of hair out of her eyes. So today, the city truly became Konohagakure. The thought didn't sadden her as much as she thought it would.

She stiffened when suddenly Koharu caught her eyes, the old woman's stern blue gaze bore into hers in such a way that served to make her slightly nervous. The elderly woman shocked Sakura when she suddenly crooked a finger at the girl to come to her. A blush suffused the shrine warrior's cheeks. The old woman frowned before striding over to the girl and grasping her roughly by the wrist. She forcibly started to drag Sakura into the street into the midst of the large group. Sakura protested trying to yank her appendage out of the surprisingly strong grip, "Wait! What are you doing? I don't think that..."

"You belong here as much as I do. Come with us," the ex-council member rasped in a low voice only Sakura could hear, "Besides the Hokage wants to meet you."

"The what? The who?" Sakura blinked thrice, not realizing she had already fallen into step with the old woman.

Koharu ignored the girl's obvious confusion and merely stared straight ahead.

The rest of the parade, or whatever it was went by in a blur for the young woman. She was still trying to puzzle out exactly what was going on. She was still a bit off kilter when they arrived at the tower. Sakura's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at all the changes to the interior. All the carpet had been taken out, and the wooden floors beneath had undergone a thorough sanding and polish. The formerly green walls, were now painted white. The symbol of the leaf was emblazoned over the entranceway. She found herself led up two flights of stairs. Sakura wrenched her wrist out of the old woman's gnarled hands. She rubbed the red, abused flesh with a dark glower on her face. What was it with people and manhandling her however the hell they wanted lately? A pair of shinobi opened the double doors to a room Sakura had never been in before in the aging building.

She noticed there were people inside already waiting for them. Green eyes met black. She felt the blood drain from her face and she staggered slightly from the reeling shock. Itachi Uchiha was standing next to an older version of himself. She assumed the man was probably his father. Well if the matching scowls were any indicator, she thought to herself wryly. Wrenching her eyes away from his cutting gaze, she looked over at Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuuga. Each were with a relative who were also present. It must be a clan, and the successor in attendance at a formal occasion sort of thing, Sakura concluded, which would be why Sasuke who was Itachi's younger brother wasn't present.

She glanced back at Itachi, and saw the clear warning in his eyes. Subconsciously she stepped closer to the elderly woman still standing beside her. The old man in the weird white outfit, and red triangular hat that she noticed in the procession opened the door to outside, and stepped out onto the stone balcony. Sakura's eyes widened when he lifted a wrinkled hand, and the sound from outside swelled in crescendo. The sheer volume of the applause and roar of voices was something she had never personally experienced. She was so taken aback by all the going ons she only caught parts of the speech he was giving.

"Citizens of Konoha and Ixion..."

She had to admit there was authority to his tone. Sakura tried to pay attention but her thoughts turned inwards. She kept her gaze from drifting back to the Uchiha. Instead she looked at her toes peeking out from her brown sandals. She could feel the curious looks sent her way by the other males, but she refused to glance back at them. Squaring her shoulders, she placed her hands into her sleeves, cupping her elbows as she pressed her crossed arms against her chest.

Finally when his diatribe to the crowd was finished, he retreated back into the quarters with the rancous cheers from outside following in his wake. A shinobi shut the thick wooden door and the excited voices were silenced. Immediately she felt the weight of his gaze fall over her. His hand went up to stroke the gray-white tuft of beard on his chin, as he surveyed her through sharp, intelligent brown eyes. He looked nearly as old as the ex-council elders, but something about him alerted Sakura to the fact, that this man was not one to be taken lightly. Beneath the surface, she could feel the power from his chakra signature crackle.

Homura ran a nervous hand through his gray hair, his hazel orbs darting between the occupants in the room. He breathed a sigh of relief, "I must admit I'm glad it is finally over with."

Koharu nodded with a smile next to the old man, the wrinkles around her eyes deepening, "I am as well. It seems that you were well received as we'd hoped you would be. The transition was as smooth as we could have all asked for."

The old man merely nodded, his eyes still on the puzzled features of the pink haired woman who returned his gaze boldly.

Koharu noticed the direction of his attention and elbowed Sakura followed by a hissed whisper, "Introduce yourself girl."

A pained gasp left the young woman. She sent a venomous glare at the annoying harpy. She stated with clenched teeth, "Since the old bag insists on it. I'm Sakura Haruno, it's a _pleasure _to make your acquaintance."

When her name left her lips, she felt Naruto's gaze zero in on her like homing device. She sighed. She wondered if he would make the ramen shop connection eventually.

The elderly male stepped forward and took up one of her hands in his gently. Sakura was aware of the tensing Itachi in the back corner of the room. He spoke drawing her gaze back to his wizened face, "Ahh Lady Haruno. I was hoping to meet you today. I am as you probably are well aware, the Hokage of Konoha. Sarutobi Hiruzen."

So he was this Hokage person that Koharu had mentioned. She just nodded like she knew exactly what he was talking about. She'd barely left her house, but already she wanted to go home.

Sakura replied through stiff lips. "A pleasure to meet you. I'm sure you have more important matters to attend to. So I shall just..." her words stopped mid-sentence, when she found herself on the end of two warning glares from the ex-council members. Her shoulders wilted. Today was going to be a long day, she decided.

"I'm sorry Lady Haruno, but I will have to detain you just a bit longer," the Hokage stated blandly releasing his hold on her limp hand. "Especially with the prominent clan leaders present who are also now apart of your city wanting to meet you."

"You are mistaken. This is not my city. It is now your city," Sakura's lack of good manners with the show of a rising temper was drawing frowns from the other occupants of the room. She pointed at the ex-council, "These people signed it over to you. I don't see any point in this discussion."

Neji Hyuuga interjected frostily, "You would do well to show some respect, Lady Haruno," he paused and added, "He is now your Hokage as well."

Sarutobi cleared his throat, "I will get to the point soon enough, if you would just settle down and listen."

Sakura let loose an agitated sigh but remained silent.

"Lady Haruno, I must say. I was shocked to find out about your existence here in this village," he began, while linking his arms behind his back before pacing over in her direction, "To find a true shrine warrior in this day and age is something that I'd never thought I'd see. And on top of that, to think that we will have one residing in a Shinobi Village." He shook his head as if he still couldn't believe it.

The green-eyed female took a step back, her face paling at his remark. The words left her before she could stop them from tumbling out, "What? How did you know?" Her gaze bounced over all the people present in the room. The penetrating look that the Uchiha was sending her made her insides clench with dread. She hadn't wanted these people to know about her. Not even the original residents, with the exception of the few elderly and the ex-council who knew what she really was.

His soft chuckle startled her. He waved his hand at her, "I had the misfortune, during a mission many years ago of running into your grandparents. I overstepped my boundries, and they put me in my place. I still haven't to this day, see anyone fight like that." He shook his head, as if the memory still made an impression him after all these years, "So – with that said. When I realized just who you were, I knew that I couldn't just ignore your presence in this village."

"What in the hell do you mean by that? A contract was signed and agreed upon." Sakura's eyes narrowed as she looked up into his thoughtful brown eyes.

"Lady Haruno, I will be frank with you. I honestly expect nothing from you. However I would like to be assured of your loyalty," He asserted baldly and without inflection peppering his rusty tones.

So that's how it was, was it? She tilted her head to the side, "I don't know what it is that you really want from me. I am aware that in the past that the shinobi and shrine warriors didn't get along," she waved her hand with a stroke of graceful flourish before continuing on, "However I am not concerned about this. I can assure you that you do not have to worry about me sticking my nose into your business while you all play ninja all over the countryside. The merger of alliances have nothing to do with me, as I have already stated in the presence of these fine young men over there." The last was deliverered with a touch of sarcasm. She continued on a firm note this last aimed more at Itachi Uchiha then anyone else, "All I have asked for from the very beginning, is to be left alone in peace, so that I may live out my life completing my duties at the shrine."

"I see." The Hokage replied slowly. After a moment he nodded, "I suppose that will have to suffice for now. Since you are here," he turned to indicate the awaiting shinobi behind him, "I will go ahead and introduce you to the clan leaders. Even if you find such a thing a waste of time, I insist." He added at the end, having seen the protest forming on her face.

She sighed, "Fine. I understand."

"This is Fugaku Uchiha, and his eldest son and heir Itachi Uchiha. Their compound as you are already aware of is being built to the south, and is the one closest to your shrine. Their clan will be heading the Konoha Military Police. Any problems that you may have, will have to be reported through them."

"Lovely," she murmured under her breath.

Everyone ignored the bristling female's comment. The Hokage then gestured towards the blond male and his parent whom probably could have passed for twins if the age difference hadn't been so obvious, "Minato Uzumaki, and his heir Naruto Uzumaki. They will be residing in the north end of town." He paused and then pointed towards the silver-eyed crew whose matching set of frowns might have made her laugh had the situation been different, "And Hiashi Hyuuga, and his nephew Neji Hyuuga, their compound is being built in the east corner of the city."

Sakura really didn't see the importance of knowing this, but she went ahead and nodded to try and satisfy these people so she could get the hell out and go home.

"I appreciate your patience Lady Haruno. I do hope that you'll enjoy the festival today," he gave her a smile, that she knew was fake, "Uchiha Itachi-sama. Escort Lady Haruno out."

Sakura immediately lifted both hands in protest, her face reddening to the amusement of the others in the room, "Uh – no that will be quite alright. I know the way out thank you."

Before anyone could get in another word in inch-wise she was out the door and striding down the hall to the stairs in a pace that was nearing a jog. Out of the peripheral of her vision, she saw a flash of ebony. Turning her face away, she was determined to ignore him, like she would a pesky fly. She hoped he would take the hint, and go away.

When she arrived at the exit, she had to hold back the sigh of relief begging to be released. She realized belatedly that she still had a shadow as she strode down the streets. Sakura still continued to pretend that she was oblivious to his presence. All he was supposed to do was escort her out of the building right? Perhaps when she was far enough away, he would leave her in relative peace. Unfortunately for her, that didn't seem to be in his agenda. She could see his shadow beside hers, and the slow simmer on her temper began to boil. She tried speeding up, and he kept pace with her. Slowing down considerably didn't shake him off her tail either.

Drawing her back up ramrod straight as if a piece of steel had replaced her spine, Sakura finally halted. The annoying Uchiha did the same. Ever so slowly her eyes shifted to his form and her upper lip began to furl. He caught the look in her orbs, his own visage remained an emotionless stony mask of indifference.

Her voice was laced with temper, her fists were clenching and unfurling at her sides, "Why are you following me? You were just supposed to escort me out. Do you get off on stalking people or something?"

His arrogant aristocratic brows drew together sharply at her scarcely veiled insolence. He knew she was referring to the night before. He was taken aback by her boldness. His voice was coldly polite and lacking emotion as he finally responded, "If you had been patient and waited just a little longer, you would have heard the Hokage's second set of orders."

"Oh," she crossed her arms and tapped her foot, "So – you really are stalking me then?"

"On the contrary," he continued in that annoyingly level timbre of his, as if her verbal jabs were nothing to be concerned over, "He believes that you should enjoy the festivities today, and he sent me along to assure that you do."

He watched the myriad of expressions that crossed her petite features. He watched on in boredom as Sakura looked like she was about to explode. Her face went three shades of red as his words finally took hold in her mind. Itachi waited patiently for her to throw her tantrum. Once they got that over with, they could move along with business. Instead she suddenly threw back her head and started to laugh in an almost maniacal manner. The sound effectively drew many pairs of wary eyes of the populace in their direction. Everyone around them gave them a wide berth, while glancing over their shoulders to make sure the witch wasn't going to follow and curse them. Itachi frowned. He couldn't figure out what she thought was so hilarious all of a sudden. One moment she was ready to pitch a fit, the next she was laughing.

Sakura whipped a hand up and pointed at him, and within a span of a second all signs of amusement was completely gone from her face. It was almost uncanny and very bizarre all at the same time. She suddenly smirked at him, "Well if that was his goal, then why in the blue hell did he send you? I mean, obviously I couldn't I enjoy myself with you around. So, if you want to follow those precious orders of yours - just remove yourself from my presence, and I shall have myself a jolly old time."

She then proceeded to make a shooing gesture that made his eyebrow tic. His face went stony at her continued disrespect. A vein popped out on his temple and throbbed, as he worked to contain his temper. He was supposed to be the most stoic males of his clan. Such petty behavior shouldn't irritate him so much. When he had finally got a firm grip on his emotions he stated icily, "Be that as it may. It is the Hokage's desire that the populace sees you out and about with a shinobi. It should allay to rest of any remaining doubt. It has come to our notice that for some unfathomable reason you hold much respect in this village. Which, I can't seem to understand, because most people are afraid of you."

The planes of her face smoothed out and she sighed while looking away so that he couldn't see the forlorn expression that crossed her face, "The answer is a rather obvious one. Of course, it's not hard for me to believe with your limited brain capacity that you haven't grasped something so simple yet."

Itachi opted to stay silent. He'd never had someone prod at his usually unflappable temper so much in his life. Not even enemies on the battlefield was as rude as this pink haired wench. He figured that his taciturnity would push her into further explaining what she meant. He was correct to assume as much.

"People are always afraid of what they cannot understand. I'm different. It's only understandable, that I'd invoke fear. But," she glanced back at him through half-lidded dull eyes, "that's just how I want it."

The vestiges of anger nibbling at him melted away, leaving behind only contemplation. It was probably something in relation to whatever a shrine warrior was. Religious individuals did tend to be more withdrawn from the normal populace. So maybe her behavior was more natural than he was giving her credit for. However, her strong desire to be left alone was still rather odd - even to his shinobi way of thinking. He was a loner himself, but he wouldn't go as far as this woman to obtain solitude.

Sakura could practically see the cogs churning in his brain, and the steam coming out of his ears. She shocked him when she brazenly tugged on his sleeve, "Well if you insist on following me around. We might as well get this over with."

"Aa." He replied with a stiff nod.

She whipped around and began to head in the direction of the shrine. Sakura knew he was curious as to why she would head home but if she was to walk around town all day in the sun, milling around in black clothing beneath the warm spring sun, was not the way to do it. At the shrine gate she said, while looking back at him from over her shoulder, "I'm just changing. I'll be back out in a moment."

She didn't even bother to wait for a response. Gingerly stepping through the gate, she shut it behind her but didn't bother to lock it. She strode quickly down the stone path and up the steps to the quaint little shrine home. Changing into a sleeveless light green top, and a pair of loose fitting matching slacks. She was right back outside in minutes. Sakura was surprised to find she wasn't more unnerved by this situation. Here she was, about ready to spend the day in the village with the very male who had attacked her last night. She scowled, she decided that she must have more than a few screws loose.

Sakura found him leaning casually against the white wall. He looked up when she stepped out of the gate and locked it behind her this time. She informed him, while arching a brow at him along with an unreadable look, "I'm thinking you owe me some dango."

Itachi's lips quirked with irritation at her suddenly out of nowhere announcement. He deadpanned. "I fail to see how you came to such a conclusion."

She wagged a finger in front of his face to his consternation. He looked past the blurring appendage directly into her too-large emerald orbs as she informed him bluntly while scowling up at him, "For last night, you jerk. It hurt to take a bath of all things! My back was all scraped up and the hot water stung like hell because of your ungentlemanly treatment." She folded her arms, turning up her nose up haughtily at him, "I say pay up. Or shut up."

"You are a detestable woman." The words were out before he could stop them. He hadn't wanted her to realize she was able to get under his skin so easily.

"Well – you aren't my favorite person either," she responded tartly before striding past him, "So I guess that makes us even."

His fingers twitched in response, but still he followed her silently. He would fulfill his orders. He was the Uchiha clan heir. He could easily complete a simple mission like this, no problem.

"Hurry up. You're lagging behind," she quipped without looking back at him.

Sakura glanced to the side discreetly as he stepped into pace with her. She supposed that being rude to him, wasn't going to make him go away. Unfortunately. To all the world, his face looked as apathetic as ever. She wondered if nothing fazed this man. At the bottom of the hill, the girl stopped and looked around. The citizens had food stands set up everywhere. The whole city was celebrating. Sakura hated to admit it, but her mouth was watering from the appetizing scent of cooking food. A blush suffused her cheeks when her stomach grumbled loud enough to wake the dead. She had ran out of the house without breakfast this morning.

She peeked up through her bangs like a child who was caught breaking the rules at Itachi who was looking at her with something akin to amusement. His lips then quirked into a smirk, "If you insist, Lady Haruno. I suppose I shall purchase you this dango you desire."

Sakura gritted her teeth but then tilted her head to the side as if studying him, her eyes narrowing on his face, like it was an interesting insect that had crawled into her path, "Hm. You know. You might actually turn out to be a slightly attractive man if you smiled once in a while," she then turned her back on him and shrugged, "Well, that's probably just my imagination. With as much as you frown, you'll probably be all wrinkly by thirty."

When she peeked over her shoulder he was stalking away from her, in the direction of a dango vendor. She smiled, now was her chance. She slipped into the crowd while he was busy with other matters. Thankfully with all those extra hours at the ramen shop, she had enough money to splurge a little bit. An easy smile slipped onto her face, as she continued to cut through the crowd. She'd lose that Uchiha and then have herself a good time. With many new people around, she was blending in with the crowd a little better, and was pleased that very few people sent the usual strange looks her way.

She was suddenly brought up short when the colorful confection that she'd asked for minutes ago popped up in front of her face. Her brows drew together in a thunderous frown. She looked up, only to find Itachi towering over her with that vexing indifferent expression in his eyes. She snatched it out of his hand, making certain that she made no skin contact as she did so. She bit into the sweet dango like a wolf into a deer carcass before walking down the street as if everything in the world was as right as rain.

Feeling as surly as ever she started to ignore him. When she finished the treat, she licked her fingers, her gaze roaming over the masses. She muttered to herself, "I don't think I've ever seen this many people out in the streets all at once."

"ITACHI-SAMA!" a feminine screech caused Sakura to stop in her tracks. She couldn't help but wince at the high pitched twang to the voice.

She glanced back at the stoic male just into to see a blonde woman with blue eyes grapple at his arm. The loud female was practically hanging off of him like he was a piece of playground equipment. Sakura caught the flash of annoyance in his face, but by the time the woman looked up into his eyes, it was gone. He greeted her coolly, "Yamanaka-san."

Sakura barely contained the amusement struggling to surface. She watched as the woman simpered up at him with doe like eyes, "Aww, don't be so cold Uchiha-sama. Why don't you explore the village with me instead of that weird forehead girl over there? You'll have a much better time with me."

Sakura's hand tightened over the dango stick, contemplating if she'd get too much in trouble for stabbing the obnoxious Yamanaka girl with it. The desire coiled further inside Sakura when the other female sent her a superior, catty look. A muscle in her cheek jumped and her entire body twitched. It wasn't like she wanted to be in company of the damn bastard to begin with. Tamping down her ire, she suddenly smiled a saccharine, sweet grin, "You know Itachi-_sama_. I think this monkey woman is right in what she says. You should explore the village with her. You'd have a much better time with her, although you may have to visit the pharmacy later to take something for the migraine afterward."

And with that, Sakura sauntered off, before slam dunking the long bamboo pick into a trash receptacle without bothering to look back at the pair. The passer byers sent her odd looks while she stomped past them, muttering irritably under her breath to herself about today being the new national idiot day. She'd have to remember to mark her calender so that she could remember not to leave her house next year. Before she knew it, she was all the way across the other side of town. The road widened, and there was far less people around. Her steps slowed. She stopped at the edge of stone that met healthy green. She gazed out over the large grassy field that had an old oak speckled here and there. Not far in the distance, she could see a strangely shaped building being built. It was long and sprawling. To her untrained eye, she couldn't tell what it was meant to be. She wondered idly anyway. With these damn shinobi, who the hell knew anyway, she thought to herself with an irritated huff before giving up on trying to figure it out.

Her gaze finally fell upon an oddly shaped boulder. The young woman promptly made her way over to it, and sat down. She shut her eyes, and placed her fingertips on the bridge of her nose and sucked in a deep calming drag of air.

Suddenly a super cheerful male voice of which the likes she never heard chirped behind her, "Well, hello beautiful cherry blossom. Why does such a lovely flower like yourself look so down on such a wonderful day?"

Sakura shifted to get a look at this new, and obviously very odd stranger. Her eyes widened perceptibly when they fell on a lithely built young man with thick eyebrows, and a bowl shaped haircut. What really threw her for a loop was the far too tight and form fitting green spandex. She shielded her eyes, and looked away pointedly. She tried her normal tactic of trying to ignore him. If she did it long enough perhaps he would go away, along with his super happy self. As she shifted to look the other way, she found herself coming face to face with him again. Her eyes narrowed. Didn't these damn people know how to take a hint?

"May I ask as to what your name is? I'm certain it is as gorgeous as yourself," his brown eyes sparkled at her with a scary enthusiasm that she didn't want to contemplate too deeply.

"Sakura." She managed to get out with a straight face.

"Oh such a fitting name for a lovely lotus such as yourself," he clasped his hands together energetically.

"You're quite the _special _one aren't you?" Sakura quipped sarcastically. She really didn't mean it as a compliment, but he obliviously thought she was saying something positive to him.

"I'm so happy that you think so," He bobbed his chin at her in a jerky vigorous nod, "I'm Lee."

"Of course you do," Sakura murmured, and then glancing over at the skeletal structure being built, she decided to try and distract him. "Do you know what they are building over there?"

"Yes! It's wonderful. It's going to be the new Shinobi Academy. The children will be able to freely go to practice their powers of youth, and learn the shinobi ways," he turned around and pumped his arm in a overly dramatic manner.

Sakura looked out over in the direction of what was going to supposedly be the new school. She was suddenly assaulted with the images of a hundred little miniature Itachi's running around with kunais in their hands in the future playground. She put her fingers to her temple that was starting to throb, "That's lovely. A school for the budding and aspiring assassin. I can hardly contain my excitement."

The blatant sarcasm sailed right over the enthusiastic nin's head. He clasped his hands together, his eyes sparkling with an unbridled joy that was starting to make her want to gag up the contents in her stomach, "Oh yes isn't it? I can see their youthful faces in the joyful throes of learning now."

Sakura was seriously sorry she asked this loony anything. Did everything he spout have to be some sort of poetic prose? He drew her attention back to him.

"Have you seen my teammate around blossom?" Lee asked her suddenly.

Her brow quirked at that. It actually sounded fairly normal. How would she know who his teammate was?

He babbled on, "I've been looking all over for Neji but I can't find him. I can't locate Tenten either."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. She didn't know who Tenten was, but she had a feeling he was talking about that silver-eyed male, "Neji as in Neji Hyuuga?"

"Yes," Lee nodded at her.

"Last I seen him, he was with the Hokage and his little posse of ninja," Sakura replied tersely.

"Oh I see," the male looked dejected for all of about two seconds, and then he perked up, "Well then I should escort the lovely little blossom around the village today."

"No. You should not," Sakura couldn't help but glare back at him bristling like a cornered cat. Just as the words left her mouth she noticed Itachi approaching them with narrowed eyes. Apparently he wasn't none too happy with her for ditching him with that blonde girl if that dark scowl on his face was an indicator.

Green eyes flicked between Itachi and Lee, trying to determine the lesser of two evils. It didn't take her long to come to a conclusion, she pasted an apologetic smile on her face at Lee.

"But Sakura..."

"I'm sorry Lee but I already have a," the word stuck to her throat, "_date_," she coughed, "with someone else. I hope you can find your Tenten friend."

Itachi's eyes widened when she strode over to him with determination set in her face and looped her arm through his. She glared up into his face, clenching her teeth while hissing up into his face, "Get me the hell out of here!"

She wasn't even allowing him berate her for running off. It had taken him far too much time then he'd like to recall to extricate himself from the clingy blonde. Itachi glanced over at Lee who was actually in fact gazing at Sakura with lovesick puppy eyes. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together, and the corner of his left lip quirked.

Sakura didn't like the deviousness she saw in his eyes. Just seeing it there gave her goosebumps, and not the good kind either.

"Hello Lee. Were you wanting to...?" he started to say, in a smooth rich tenor, the hint of amusement more than obvious.

Before she even thought about what she was doing her hand snaked up and she covered his mouth. She threatened him a low voice, "Don't you dare! I will find a way to curse you dammit!"

His eyes narrowed on her flushed face. He grasped her wrist, his eyes taking note as the sleeve fell away, the lingering bruises from the night before that he'd inflicted on her. His hold lightened, "You mean to tell me that you'd rather --" He paused and then continued, "As far as orders go he could take my place."

Sakura's eyes narrowed on his face. Wrenching her hand away from him. She threw up her hands in defeat. "I give up!" Before throwing a back at the spandex wearing nin, "It was nice meeting you Lee." Even though she didn't mean a word of it, before marching off. To hell with this, she thought irate with anyone and everyone that day. She was going the hell home.

Within moments, the Uchiha caught up to her, falling into step with her fast pace easily with his longer strides. He suddenly decided to comment on her behavior, "For someone who doesn't like to draw attention to themselves, you do an admirable job of accomplishing it."

"No one asked you for commentary," she snapped at him. Then she added with venom, "Damn _jackass_."

Itachi, having already getting used to her scathing tongue, expected the snide remark from her. And so he let her roll off him, like water off a duck's back.

Sakura was fuming and refused to acknowledge the nin's presence. Well, one thing was for certain, once these shinobi were told to do something, they very damn well did what they were ordered. Mindless lemmings, she thought uncharitably. Then, amidst her fit of temper, a soft tingling noise cut through the searing emotion like a hot knife. She stopped, and straightened.

The Uchiha watched the woman curiously, as every ounce of anger that had been on her face smoothed away. He watched as she turned her head, and looked up in the direction of the shrine. The Hokage had informed him privately, after listening to the Uchiha's concerns, that for a time they would just have to keep an eye on the woman, to see if she would be a detriment to the newly born alliance. When he had asked the Hokage if he knew about what being a shrine warrior entailed, he hadn't known anything. No one seemed to know, which still bothered him. He had miscalculated by trying to threaten it out of her the evening prior. In the end, it had made her all that more secretive. The female had even gone as far as to keep her knowledge secret from the other villagers, to the point of being ostracized. She did whatever possible to keep anyone and everyone out. He loathed the fact that he couldn't figure out the puzzle that was right in front of him.

Sakura tilted her head to the side. She couldn't help the small smile that adorned her lips. There, next to her, was one of the original houses still standing. While others were repainting their homes and remodeling to blend in with the newcomers, this one still stood the way it had always been. The blue paint was peeling, but it wasn't that, that had halted her in her tracks. Hanging off the top of the small porch, was an old wind chime, a simple construction of ancient bamboo. However, at the bottom of the chime was a silver bell. It was fashioned exactly the same way as the ones she wore on her wrists with her more formal attire. Shutting her eyes, she mentally thanked the breath of Shukaku, before turning away and ambling down the street in a much calmer manner.

Itachi was not quite certain how to take in the sudden change in temperament in the volatile female. One second she was all spitfire and ready to verbally flay anyone in her path. Yet, in a split second, he saw her smile, what was probably the first true smile he'd seen on her face, and then the strange woman continued forward in lightened spirits as if she hadn't ever been angry in the first place.

Thoughtlessly, Sakura began to hum the Bijuu song to herself. She came up short when she realized what she was doing. Glancing at the stoic male she asked him, "So are you satisfied with today's excursion? Plenty of people have seen us together, I would think."

He just looked at her through blank obsidian orbs.

"Well I'll let you think that over. See you later, I guess." Sakura turned on her heel to head home. The wind chime had reminded her that she had to prepare for that night's full spring moon.

"I will see you home," the Uchiha spoke, the manners of being raised by nobility coming to the forefront.

"There's no need. Honestly, the only person it seems that I need protection from," she stopped and looked over her shoulder at him with thought darkened eyes that spoke volumes, "_is you_." And just like that, she left him standing in the middle of the street, his dark gaze following her until her form was swallowed up by the masses.

-o-

Sakura stood on the porch of the shrine in her formal garb. The bells around her wrists tinkled merrily beneath the wisp of the breeze that night. It was a clear and cloudless night. The full moon was bright and luminous. The round disc hung low in the sky. The young woman turned to head up to the apex of the hill. The only thing that concerned her, is that all the shinobi in residence will be able to feel the chakra flare up. Yet, they were not allowed on her lands. The shrine warrior didn't believe in the least that a piece of signed paper would stop them from doing as they wanted to do. After all, this city was now theirs. The fortunate thing was that if someone witnessed the things she did, they wouldn't understand what she was doing.

The chirping of the crickets stopped as she passed. The howling of the wind through the canopy the trees was the only melody that followed her that lonely evening. By the time she reached the top of the hill, she knew that it was nearing midnight. To those who would see the flat stone platform, they would only find a twelve plain gray stone pillars. The area was surrounded by trees and tufts of grass peeked through some of the cracks in the rock. Those unaware of its purpose would not pay the plain altar much mind.

She begin to speak, the sound was soft blending into the darkness of night, "Enemies we have not forgotten. The hope of humans turned to power. Granted to protect that which was ours. Greed overwhelmed. Chakra was your gift, abused. You who are the world's balance, thine power was sought," Sakura lifted a hand into the air, the light of the moon bathed the epidermis in white light. The bells jangled, and then in an inhalation of breath, fire danced on her open palm, "The price of enemies blood taught. Penance for our crimes bought. Through the gates we sought. Yet, remained we have." She slowly exhaled.

The hem of her garments brushed against the stone as she walked. Sakura touched her hand to the first pillar, the one facing north. It lit, the flame bursting blue. Turning she slowly made her way to the sixth, her voice pitched in an even timbre with what she'd learned so long ago, "The gate. My people. Harmony of life maintained." She inverted her palm and brushed it over the gray stone. A crimson flame, the color of blood came roaring to life, piercing the darkness.

Sakura took another deep breath, forcing herself to maintain the chakra hold on the flame in her palm so it wouldn't go out. Sweat dotted her temples as she padded over to the third pillar, the one that stood facing east, "Closed you must remain. All things, a price must be paid," she swiped her hand over the stone, and watched through half-lidded eyes, as a burst of yellow pyre birthed before her orbs. She slowly released the air through slightly parted lips.

She was almost done, she thought tiredly. Her legs were as heavy as lead, as she finally moved to the ninth pillar, the one that faced the west, "Commune with the earth. Bonds not broken. Promises kept." Finally just as the flame in her hand began to flicker she touched the last stone column. Her eyes shut against the blinding, pure white fire.

She collapsed to her knees, and as she did so the rest of the pedestals in between lit. Their multi-colored flames dancing against the darkness. The wind swirled around her, almost as if hugging her tenderly. Within the breeze she could hear voices. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying. She finished the final piece, "To the last we have wrought – forgotten we have not."

As soon as the last syllable left her dried lips, Sakura lifted her hand, and with her teeth, she bit the fleshy pad of her thumb pulling blood to the surface. She then, stood, fighting to stand on shaky legs. She made it to the center and dropped to a kneeling position, and touched the ground with her blood. As soon as the liquid touched the dust, crimson color flared brightly, then spread. Sakura knew it was writing of some kind beneath her, but she couldn't read what was written, as her parents had never had the chance to teach her. Well, if they had known the meaning themselves. In the end, she would never know. The voices around her swelled once more, almost into a deafening roar. Then, it was silent within the next breath of air she breathed into her lungs.

One by one, the dancing flames disappeared, and just like that, it was finished. Chakra depleted, Sakura fell onto her side, unconsciousness sucking her under.

Beneath the star studded sky, Sakura slept on unaware, dreaming of shadows of fire and ancient songs. Of people and times forever lost and forgotten. She danced along with the wraiths. They wrapped around her, pulling her into a warm embrace, breath against her ear whispering secrets. And for that split second, she understood the words being said. Yet once she awakened, she wouldn't remember anything but blurred images and broken fragments of memories.

**-o-**

_**Sneak peak Next Chapter:** _

_"There is no getting used to a shrine warrior for a shinobi," Koharu mumbled, before averting her eyes, "you are like oil and water. You both have chakra, and yet the way you utilize it, is completely different. Shinobi, like everyone else, are human. People fear what they cannot understand."_

_Sakura's eyes narrowed sharply on the elderly female at that telling statement. She stated gently, "I've always had the feeling you know more than you've let on."_

**-o-**

**A/N: **And that is a wrap for the second chapter. A sneak peak to boot as well! I had a question asking, if Naruto has the Kyuubi inside him in this story? The answer is no. There aren't any Jinchuriki otherwise known as a Bijuu containers in this fanfic. I decided to post that here, in case anyone else might have been wondering the same thing. Until next chapter. Ja Ne.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **I got some very interesting reviews. And I love them all. Thank you for taking the time to review. It means a lot. I also see a lot of people adding the story to alerts and favorites within such a short period of time. You all humble me, really. Sometimes, it just floors me when I go into the traffic section and see the list of countries from which people had clicked on my story to read. That's really, for me the most humbling part of all. I'm by no means published or any such thing or even think highly of my work – but it still blows my mind that some of my most personal works, has been read by so many, throughout the world. Oh the power of the Internet.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the rights to Naruto or any of that, ect ect, so on and so forth.

**Chapter 3**

The brilliance of the dawn woke Sakura from her slumber. Sitting up slowly, she propped her head against a tired hand. She felt like she had about ten pounds of cotton fluffed stuff into her head. Stumbling as she rose to her feet. The sky was streaked in a myriad of pastel hues. Her surroundings were bathed in the rosy morning light, the lovely hue causing the dew on the leaves of the trees to sparkle like diamonds. Slowly she made her way down the hill. She couldn't believe how drained she felt. Her muscles ached, and her mind was still filled with half forgotten dreams and smoky wraiths.

Hana was waiting for her on the porch. As soon as she seen Sakura approaching, she gave a plaintive meow. Amusement touched her lips. What did Bijuu and ancient ceremonies matter against the importance of tuna? The woman patted the cat on her furry head before getting ready to step in her house. Sakura's head lifted slightly, her senses more acute because of the evening prior. She had been so occupied by her own thoughts, that she hadn't noticed that she was surrounded by chakra signatures. Somehow she half-expected this to happen.

Sakura spoke into the silence, "I know you're there."

As soon as the words left her lips, she found herself surrounded by men in white animal masks and black cloaks.

"Would it be too much for me to ask you to let me feed my cat before you drag me off?" She couldn't believe that she was still able to sound like her usual sarcastic self. She made it sound like it was a normal occurrence for her to be surrounded by grown men in black and white bed sheets. Did these people really think that these outfits were intimidating? She didn't bother to hold back her snort.

They all turned their heads to look at one who was in a white cloak. Sakura assumed this must be the leader. He slowly dipped his head. Sakura took that as permission, and so she went into her house, and did just that. Hana looked up at her mistress uncertainly, but Sakura reassured her pet with another pat on the head. Turning she found herself staring at the person in the white cowl. She scowled at him, "I didn't give you permission to could come into my house. It's bad enough you people are on my property."

Her remark was met by frigid silence. A tired sigh left her small frame. Straightening her robes, she followed the male out. A small sound of surprise left her when she was suddenly lifted and thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The bridge of her nose reddened in abject embarrassment, and she was about to protest. But before she could even open her mouth to give them all a piece of her mind, they had all sprung into the air, and she found herself soaring through the treetops astride this stranger's shoulder. It was rather a bizarre feeling to travel in such an awkward position, she mused to herself. She would have never thought of using chakra in such a way, she thought to herself, as the morning breeze whipped against her face.

Within minutes they arrived at the Hokage's tower. Sakura figured since she'd gone all this way, why argue about the position she was in now? Suddenly she was set down on her own feet, and then flanked on all sides by the four men. She was promptly led upstairs. She wanted to point out to these bastards she'd lived here all her life and she really didn't need their help to find her way around.

Squaring her shoulders, she readied herself to deal with the onslaught of questions that she knew was to come. Her bearing was proud and noble, as she went through the door. She found Sarutobi, the Hokage, sitting at an oak desk calmly, his hand wrapped half way around a cup of steaming tea. He lifted his eyes, the sharp brown orbs settling on her face. He gestured for her to sit in the open chair facing him. Obediently she did as she was bade.

He lifted his head and nodded at the men behind her. He elevated his hand, and Sakura realized he was signaling something to them. The door was shut, and Sakura's shoulders tensed when she realized that the four males would be staying as well. What she didn't expect however was for them to push the hoods of their robes back, and one by one, they removed their masks. All of which she recognized. Itachi, was the person beneath the white cowl, the other three, were Naruto, Neji, and Sasuke.

Her eyes narrowed but she deigned not to speak. Her mind was still reeling from the realization that Itachi had just manhandled her – _again_. She couldn't help the dirty look she sent him. He returned the glare with passive indifference. Her hand curled into a tight fist on her lap, but she kept her mouth shut at least for the moment. Sakura turned and faced the Hokage, placing her hands in her lap before folding her fingers together in a small display of false modesty. She tilted her head to the side, "So you have me here. What is it that you want?"

The Sandaime looked at her through half-lidded orbs, "You know what I want."

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you what you want to know," Sakura replied evenly not backing down in the least even beneath his shrewd gaze, "You signed the contract with the elders of Ixion. The agreement was for me to do as I deemed in my private life. Is that not so hard for you to keep to?"

"I heard voices, in the wind last night," His fingers rubbed the bridge of his nose, he shut his eyes as if still couldn't believe that he was admitting to that before opening them again to peer into her face, "Everyone on patrol at the time witnessed a bright flash above your shrine that nearly lit the sky completely. According to the locals, this is a common occurrence that takes place twice a year. However, the most interesting thing in all this, was the sudden surge of chakra that everyone felt. The enormity of it was..." He shook his head in pure disbelief.

"I understand your concern. However, again – I will reiterate that I have the right to do as I will. I am staying out of your business," She folded her arms against her chest as if to shield herself, "The agreement was that you'd also stay out of mine as well."

The mask of nonchalance on the Hokage's face melted away, leaving nothing but a stone cold visage behind, "Lady Haruno. The only thing that was agreed to was that the property would remain yours, and to that of your heirs."

Sakura immediately knew what he was getting at, "I make you nervous don't I? The unknown," she leaned forward, her green eyes turning just as icy as his, "You're afraid of what you don't understand. You think I'm a threat. One, tiny lone woman against a whole slew of shinobi. That's really quite ridiculous."

Sharp brown orbs narrowed on hers, and she felt the sudden angry edge in his chakra signature.

Her lip quirked into a sarcastic sneer, "You have four full grown men in here. Any one of them could slit my throat without any problem at all. Maybe you should have them do it. The townsfolk may hail you as a noble hero for destroying the evil, village witch," her eyes glinted with undisguised disgust, her lip curled revealing her teeth into an almost feral snarl, "I mean once you finish me off – you can build up this town, and nurture your little nest of future murderers in peace. It's really quite the beautiful scenario isn't it?"

The Hokage slammed his palms on his desk and shot to his feet. The action startled the ANBU present. They had never seen him lose his temper in all their years of service. He grit out acidly, "I actually planned on compromising with you. I will not turn a blind eye on your activities. To even contemplate it is ridiculous."

"So?" She leaned back, the lines of her face smoothing out, but her eyes remained as sharp as ever, "What do you plan on doing with me then?"

"It's not as if you will not be given a choice." He sat back down in his seat and folded his hands together before placing them calmly on top of the desk.

"Oh. I highly doubt whatever it is that you have planned is something that I will like." Sakura was brutally blunt.

"Yesterday I discussed it with the ex-council of Ixion and they agreed that it would also be for the best," He started to finally get to the point, "We will not allow you to just do as you wish as it may prove detrimental to this village. It's not in the interests of the former civilians of Ixion, or the new ones of Konohagakure to allow risks to fester. We've not been here a complete week, and we're still in the middle of construction. If any outsiders realize there's something odd going on, we may end up with a war on our hands. To keep things under control, we've decided that we will have you marry into one of the clans."

Sakura threw back her head and laughed at that. It wasn't a sound of amusement. The tone was harsh and scratchy leaving the confines of her chest, the guttural sound filled the stunned silence in the room. She sobered and leveled her chin to face the old man once again. Her eyes grew hard before replying in a more calm voice that did well to hide the chaos going through her mind, "I don't see where I have a choice in the matter. You didn't list a secondary option."

"Well if you don't wish to concede to marriage, then I will have to insist that you explain to us in detail of what it is that you do," the Sandaime's voice was laced with steel.

"I don't suppose I get a none of the above option?" At the sour expression on his face hers slipped into an austere mask, "So you believe that marrying me off is the answer huh? To confine and tether me down with the duties of a house wife to keep me nice and quiet. Or perhaps you believe that since I am a young and simple-minded maiden that I would fall to the charms of my future husband and confess all my darkest secrets to him."

Sarutobi massaged the bridge of his nose trying to keep temper in check. The young woman was certainly impertinent and grating his nerves raw with her snide and biting remarks. "I honestly don't care how you want to look at it Lady Haruno. We are willing to set you up with a marriage into our most prominent clans. The clan leaders have even agreed to it. We felt that since you are of a noble and ancient lineage according to the elders of Ixion, we decided an heir would be the most suitable exchange for your compliance."

Sakura turned in her seat and arched a brow and the males standing behind her to the Hokage's consternation at being pointedly ignored. She asked them unable to hide the shock in her voice, "And you have absolutely no problem with this?" She couldn't believe that they'd want this either. She hadn't exactly been polite to any of them.

"They've all given their consent," the Sandaime announced in their stead.

"You people are out of your minds, you know that? I mean, hello," she pointed a finger in the direction of her own face, "I'm not a nice woman. Or have you forgotten? Or do you think you can bend me to your ways?" She smirked at them, meeting each and every one of their eyes, "I'm sorry but I'm not in the market for a shinobi husband. You understand don't you? Although I suppose you all probably decided a one in four chance isn't bad. Perhaps a game of whomever pulls the shortest straw?"

They remained silent. Lemmings, she thought again, each and every one. She scowled darkly at them.

The Sandaime cleared his throat, not quite certain how to proceed with this female, "Perhaps you need some more time to think it over. Maybe it would be best to get to know them a little more."

Sakura would have protested but she knew the more she did that, the longer she'd be subjected to this. Her caustic tongue however wouldn't let her escape completely, "What's there to get to know," she jabbed a thumb at Naruto who was taken aback by the sudden movement, "He's an endless ramen pit," she then pointed at Sasuke, "Brown-noser," then to Neji, "Aristocratic superior stick-up-my-ass," he responded by glaring and then finally she ended on Itachi, "And the red-eyed demon dragon king. Really, I'm overwhelmed by your generosity. I will seriously contemplate this amazing offer as you request."

The Hokage sighed at her blatant sarcasm, "I would hope that you would do so. If you refuse to comply, then the choice will be made for you."

"And each of you are wondering who the lucky bastard will be ne?" Sakura continued to direct her attention to them but still didn't get a rise out of the males. Finally she glanced back at the Hokage whose face had grown stern at her antics. She sighed and asked the question she didn't even want to know the answer to, "How long do I have to make this decision?"

"Three days," was the instant response.

"You just said, that I should take the time to get to know them?" Sakura's lips quirked, "Well I suppose I could use a butler for the shrine." With that she rose to her feet, "I can see myself out. I mean I grew up here. I hardly think I need an escort."

The men watched her saunter out of the room with a hard, quick stride that spoke volumes.

Naruto's shoulders sagged. He announced with a tinge of fear coloring his voice, "That woman is actually really damn scary. I've never seen the old man get like that."

The said old man fixed him with a glare. Naruto however didn't notice.

The other men looked at the blond with varying expressions. A few moments of silence lay between them. Sasuke leveled a look at his brother before asking him the thing that had bothered him the moment the woman had said it, "She called you a red-eyed dragon. Did you try using the sharingan on her or something?"

"Hn," was the monosyllabic response.

"That female would give Uncle Hiashi a heart attack in three days time at the very most," Neji stated baldly, "I still don't understand why the clan heads would agree to something like this."

Naruto suddenly snorted, he was obviously trying to hold back laughter. When he realized everyone was looking at him, he cracked, "She said teme was a brown-noser." Then he covered his mouth and turned his back when Sasuke fixed him with a glare that would make Medusa proud.

"You're not much better. You endless ramen pit," He hissed back.

Sarutobi interrupted before an argument broke out between Uzumaki and the younger Uchiha, "I understand that you each come from different squads, but for the time being. I want an eye kept on that woman. She may try to run off to avoid an unwanted marriage. Until we know more about her, it would be detrimental if she were to escape the confines of the village and be found by other nin."

The four ANBU saluted in response before leaving the office. They slipped their masks back in place. As they strode through the building with purpose, Naruto murmured suddenly, "I really hope I'm not the one picked."

"You really are scared of that little girl, dobe," Sasuke scoffed at the expense of Naruto.

"She's a freaking witch woman. I know you heard those damn whispers talking in the wind last night. Hell, even the Hokage admitted to hearing them. If we anger her too much, she may just really curse us," Naruto shivered beneath the billowing material.

"If that's the case, then why did you agree to this?" Neji's nasally tone was tinged with curiosity.

"Clan duty. My father agreed, so I wasn't going to say no," the blond replied with feeling, "I figured that woman wouldn't assent to it anyway."

"I understand. That is the only reason I consented as well but," the Hyuuga shot a look in the direction of the two Uchiha, "I was shocked when I heard that Lord Fugaku had agreed to such a thing. And for both sons, no less."

Itachi sighed, his halted at the exit, before speaking, "I do not understand what you find so unbelievable about it. All clans need heirs. Marrying into the last noble clan of the village we've made permanent ties with to further deepen relations is an intelligent and sound decision."

"I suppose that makes sense," Neji conceded coolly, his brows knitting together while he mulled over the ANBU Captain's words.

Sasuke finally spoke his piece, "A woman is a woman. As my older brother stated, all clans need heirs to stay strong. I find nothing particularly intimidating about that female. It would just take her longer than most to learn her place."

"She'll curse you," Naruto murmured glancing around for the hints of the ghosts he heard the night before, "if she hears you say that. She has spells to shrivel a man's balls, you know."

"Dobe you truly are an idiot," Sasuke would have put a hand to his forehead had his mask not been in the way.

Itachi merely shook his head at their idiocy as they traveled through the treetops to the shrine.

-o-

Meanwhile, Sakura headed in the opposite direction of the shrine, to the home of Koharu Utatane to give the old hag a piece of her mind. She was so angry, she wasn't watching where she was going. A gasp left her when she ran into something solid. Sakura fell back on butt, in an awkward sprawling position, "Ouch, ouch." She winced before looking up only to find a hand held out to her.

She eyed the silver haired, masked nin that she ran into. Ignoring the proffered hand, she stood on her own. A blush of embarrassment suffused her face. Sakura got out a clipped, "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize um..." he said rather gently smiling through the ebony material of the mask, his one visible brown eye crinkling with humor sparkling in their friendly depths.

"Sakura," she replied even though she hadn't meant to. There was a subtle charm about this male that curbed the edge of her anger.

"Oh," he reached out, a finger curling around a lock of her cotton candy hued tressed, "How -- fitting."

The flush deepened and Sakura smacked his hand away, "If you'll excuse me." She stepped around the lanky male, not in the mood to deal with any more weirdos at the moment.

"Kakashi," he called after her. This caused her to stop and arch a brow at him. She could have sworn she seen the grin beneath his mask grow just that much larger, "You can call me Kakashi." He finished with a playful wink.

Her eyebrow ticked with visible irritation before she turned around once more towards her destination decidedly ignoring him. The pinkette stepped onto the porch of the old rundown house. Without hesitation, Sakura started to beat on the door. She didn't get past three knocks before it was opened. Koharu's sharp blue eyes took in Sakura's disheveled appearance. The old woman surprised the younger girl by stepping aside and opening the door wider, "I was expecting you Lady Haruno. Please come in. Have you eaten yet?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed in suspicion The ex-council member had never gone out of her way to be polite to her in all the entirety of her life.

"Are you coming in or not? I trust you came because you have things you wish to discuss with me," Koharu stated blandly.

Wordlessly the shrine warrior stepped over the threshold into the interior of the house. She looked around herself, and was surprised to find that Koharu kept her home just as spartan as she did her shrine home. She sat down on the plain dull green sofa that was tucked into the corner of the room. The elderly woman disappeared into her kitchen for several minutes before reappearing with some tea, and a tray of sandwiches. Sakura's eyes widened. Koharu hadn't been kidding when she admitted she had been waiting for her to arrive.

Impatience gnawed at Sakura as the other woman served her a cup of tea. However good manners won out and she waited for her host to settle in her own seat, that faced directly across from her. She watched as Koharu mixed cream and sugar into the floral scented liquid before taking a sip, followed by a relaxed sigh. She finally centered a thoughtful gaze at Sakura, "So I see that your little ceremony drew unwanted attention. The Hokage went on ahead with pushing a marriage offer didn't he?"

The younger female put a finger to her temple and shut her eyes, "If you knew that much. I would have appreciated a warning, at the very least."

"I'm sorry that it has come down to this," the apology had Sakura staring at her in pure disbelief. The old woman shook her head, "I truly am. I've tried all these years since your parents death to steer you away from the outdated ways of that abominable shrine. I never expected for a ten year old, with so little knowledge to cling to those archaic ideals like an elderly person against change."

"Why would you do something like that?" Sakura was appalled by the blunt confession, "I'm the last gate keeper. My parents died protecting that -- I just couldn't..."

"You were a child," Koharu set the cup and saucer on the small flat table between them, "A burden like that was far too heavy for you. You don't even understand the things that you do. You just mimic what you've seen your parents do."

A ghost of a smile traced the young woman's lips, "I suppose that is partially true," she sighed deeply, "but the truth is -- even though I don't completely comprehend the depth of what it is that I do. I just -- know that it has to be done. It's a feeling that is etched so deeply in my soul, that I can't even bring myself to run away from the shrine away from this thing that I don't want."

"Your grandfather would be proud," Koharu shook her head, "When I questioned him about his stubborn ways, he told me something I would never forget. He said, the shrine warrior way of life was so deep in the roots of your family's blood that you couldn't deny it if you wanted to. In the end, I suppose it has been proven true."

"I just know that I protect the Bijuu," Sakura finally picked up her tea, and began to sip at it without bothering to add sugar or cream.

"You've got those shinobi all up in a tither you know?" Koharu suddenly changed the subject, "Nearly from the first day, they've been asking about you. They want to know your secrets. It's been troublesome. I had to threaten Homura to keep him quiet."

The line of Sakura's mouth thinned into cool detachment, "So I've been told. Now they have me backed into a corner. I wish you would have waited until after spring solstice to sign that damn contract."

"It wouldn't have mattered. During the autumn equinox the same thing would have happened. That binding ceremony of yours would draw the attention of anyone, especially the shinobi. Anyone that can sense chakra would be overwhelmed by it," Koharu reminded her.

"I know but at the very least, there would have been more time for them to get used to my presence." Sakura shook her head, still unsure on how to deal with the whole situation.

"There is no getting used to a shrine warrior for a shinobi," Koharu mumbled, before averting her eyes, "you are like oil and water. You both have chakra, and yet the way you utilize it, is completely different. Shinobi, like everyone else, are human. People fear what they cannot understand."

Sakura's eyes narrowed sharply on the elderly female at that telling statement. She stated coolly, the corners of her mouth tugging into a frown, "I've always had the feeling you know more than you've let on."

"I always believed that I would carry this to my grave, but I feel that owe you the truth at the very least. You were always very aware of things," the old woman's face softened, her deep wrinkles smoothing out with the thoughtful expression, "You've always had more of a shaman air about you, then a shrine warrior. Unfortunately because you are alone you've had to be both."

Sakura gathered the reigns of her fraying patience before saying, keeping her voice even, "I would appreciate it if you would start at the beginning."

"Enemies we have not forgotten. The hope of humans turned to power. Granted to protect that which was ours," Koharu began to chant almost sweetly.

The young woman's brows almost disappeared into her hairline, "How? How would you know something like that?"

"You're grandfather, was my half-brother," Koharu watched Sakura reel back in complete shock, "Yes, you are related to this old harpy as you've loved to call me for as long as I can remember."

Sakura truly didn't know what to say to that.

"I was trained to work at the shrine as well, but I refused the responsibility. I didn't want my life sucked up by that place," the old woman shook her head, "I couldn't understand why my brother was so tied to that old hovel. As I've grown old, I watched your parents struggle to protect their legacy. Then I witnessed you do the same, albeit blindly."

"I don't know how much longer I'll be able to do that if these nin have anything to say about it," Sakura grumbled hotly.

"Your grandfather used to always say, 'Courage gives us feeble humans the ability to go beyond ourselves to protect that of which we hold dear," her blue eyes were shadowed with memory, "Protect your legacy Sakura Haruno. Don't let them take what you hold dear from you. No matter how much they back you in a corner, they can't take that away from you."

"I thought you wanted the old ways to die," Sakura could feel tears burning behind the lids of her eyes at Koharu's statement. It made her feel less alone.

"Listen," the wrinkled visage of the woman's face deepened with emotion, "I have wronged you. So as I have said, I shall tell you the truth of things. But I will only say them once. Carve them into memory, because you will be the last to carry the legends to the grave. The burden is too heavy for this old woman's shoulders."

"Thank you," the words came from deep within her heart, "One time is all I'll need."

"I do not know how much truth this tale holds, as it has been passed only by word of mouth. My father told it to me when he told it your grandfather," the old woman shut her eyes for several long moments before finally speaking, "More than a thousand years ago, has passed since the time that humans had to all come together to protect their future. We were invaded by beings of great power, whose names have fallen away from the memories of mankind. They wanted the lands for themselves and had so gathered to destroy all of humanity to achieve that goal. Our people, were of the first to be born naturally with chakra. We communed with the earth, and we understand that the spirits of the world beyond our eyes, was the energy that sustained all life. Others knew of this, and so came to beseech us to aid in saving all of mankind from our enemies. The shaman, made a blood pact with the Bijuu as we know them and so they were released, and their power washed over the land, wiping away all vestiges of those who sought to annihilate us all. But with this came a problem. The gate between worlds, was broken by our despair. All of those who were subjected to even the presence of the Bijuu gained the ability to use chakra, so great was their power. Thus, those of the shinobi way were birthed from the ashes of victory. Once people realized this, they sought the Bijuu for themselves. To protect the balance against those who were blinded by the lust for power, and ignorance. Our people built a new gateway, and sealed the old. They gave up their spirits, and followed the Bijuu to the other side. Only a few families remained to guard the gate. This is whom you are descended from."

Sakura's brain could hardly take all this new information in. The whole ceremony began to make sense to her, "So even the words of binding, is just a verbal account of our history."

"Yes. Our kin, then built this city, and protected it through the ages, though everyone forgot what our ancestors' remembered," Koharu agreed with a nod, "The ceremony is also a renewal of the oath once made to the Bijuu. They are the nine guardians who protect the world. I have heard that there is even a greater power that we do not know of. Anyway -- That was the surge of chakra that the shinobi felt last night. The voices are the spirits of your ancestors responding to you through the gate between worlds. You must guard yourself well, because you are the last one of your kind. If anyone learns of this, they may try to use you to draw upon the power of the Bijuu, and could possibly, and inadvertently destroy us all. You are the last key to the gate. This is why I wished for the information to die with me but, not even the last, can escape what fate has entailed for them it seems."

"Now I understand," Sakura sighed, placing a hand to her temple, "My parents used to say, that chakra was not only held the power of destruction but also the power of creation."

Koharu dipped her chin, "Yes. Think of the Bijuu themselves for example. This is also the difference between you and the shinobi. Whereas their chakra was born within out of the desire to destroy. Yours was born by the desire to protect. This is important to remember."

"What did you mean by, that I am more like a shaman than a shrine warrior?" Sakura asked truly curious, thinking back on the odd comment.

"As far as I know. The shrine, always had two protectors. A shrine warrior, and a shaman. Your father was a warrior, your mother was a shaman. That was always the pair that had to maintain the shrine. However you've always had to be both."

"So it's in my blood then, the legacy left to me to remain in communion with the earth till I draw my last breath. It's not something I could deny, even if I desired to do so," Sakura finally picked up a sandwich, and nibbled at the edge thoughtfully.

"It is your curse as well as your blessing," Koharu's eyes dimmed with deep thought, "I always wondered why they would continue to protect something that didn't seem like it needed protection from us frail humans any longer. I decided perhaps all this is purely atonement for upsetting the balance of things and desiring power that we should never have touched in the first place."

"No matter what the reason is," Sakura rose to her feet, "I've always embraced it whole heartedly. I'm not just going to stop now. I am glad that I was at last able to come to understand what I truly am. It is actually more of a relief than a burden."

"You should go home and relax. You are still in your ceremonial robes," Koharu eyed her thoughtfully.

"Yes well, I was lucky just to be able to feed my cat this morning, before I was so rudely dragged off by nin's dressed in bedsheets," Sakura rubbed her aching temples at the memory.

"Prejudice breeds ignorance. Perhaps if you would try to learn to accept their differences and make an effort to understand them, they may eventually come around to accept you as well," the old woman's voice followed her out the door.

Sakura took her time, as she made her way towards her home. She knew she looked like something the cat dragged in. She had woken from sleeping outside, and then, she hadn't even had time to change or any such thing. The populace, especially those most familiar with her watched her slow procession. The echo of the bells attached to her wrists following in her wake. The young woman ran a tired hand through her sweat-laced tresses as she crested the hill. It wasn't even afternoon yet, and she was already tired. The idea of taking a slow, leisurely bath in the hot spring, sounded like a slice of heaven to the girl.

Outside the gate she paused, her hands still half-way wrapped around the metal bars. She frowned angrily. That sneaky old bastard wasn't even going to give her a true three days grace period. The same chakra signatures from this morning were as blazingly obvious now as they were then. Thrusting open the passage hard enough to nearly knock it completely off its hinges, Sakura shut it behind her with a sharp click and put her hands on her hips. She sent a fierce glare in all four directions before speaking, "If you're going to stalk someone, try not to be so obvious about it for kami's sake. And all four of you?!" Did the old man think she was that much of a menace to send four full grown men to spy on her?

On her close right, she heard the leaves rustling in the tree next to her. She was taken aback when one of them, fell out of the tree. Sakura winced at the tangle of limbs, and the peek of orange material from a pants leg alerted her to exactly who it was. She didn't know too much about ninja's but he was clumsier than she would expect one to be. She watched as he struggled to right himself, the material of his cloak getting entangled by his thrashing limbs. Sakura couldn't help the tiny sliver of sympathy that she felt. Striding over to him, she hooked her hand under what she hoped was his elbow and helped him to his feet.

"Are you all right?" She queried as he finally steadied himself.

At the sound of her voice he shrunk away from her, "How did you know?"

"How did I know what? What are you talking about Naruto?" She tilted her head to the side, curiosity overriding irritation.

"What this idiot means to ask," Neji spoke from directly behind her, which caused her to whirl around and face the other three males, "Is how were you able to detect us?"

Confusion caused her brows to come together, her forehead puckering. She finally just shrugged before responding, "I don't know. I could just tell you were there."

From behind their masks they all exchanged looks with one another, but they didn't press any further.

Remembering her pique with them, the expression smoothed into annoyance in a split second, "You know, the bedsheets and toy mask thing is really ridiculous. Is this how you scare your enemies? Honestly, I'm not seeing the relevance of such a plan."

"Bed sheet?" Naruto suddenly voiced behind her confused.

"Yes," she turned and grabbed a fold of material between her index and thumb while lifting it up for his perusal, "Maybe you wouldn't have fallen out of the tree if you hadn't tripped over this damn thing." She released the cloth and sighed softly.

"You should mind that wild tongue of yours," Sasuke's voice came from her left, "I, for one, will not tolerate your disrespect."

A wicked smile curved her lips, "Oh? And just what do you think you can do about it?" Her green eyes glimmered dangerously. She half hoped he would try something, so she could vent some of her frustration on someone.

"You're going to get cursed teme," Naruto suddenly interjected from behind her before Sasuke could deliver a scathing response.

Then she shocked them all when she gestured with a flourish, "Since you have all invited yourselves onto my property with the Hokage's blessing. You might as well shed the sheets, and come in for some tea," she then grinned widely at the male in the white uniform, knowing full well it was Itachi underneath, "I promise that yours will have something extra special in it."

Itachi, who had remained silent through the entire exchange quickly noticed she wasn't as prickly as she normally was. Sure, she was her normal sarcastic self, but the acid she usually responded to them all with was absent. This was the woman, who had made the normally patient Hokage lose his temper. For all her fussing about not allowing not another soul on her property and then to suddenly invite them in for tea, and he used the word invite loosely, was interesting to say the least. The other men, were already shaking their heads to decline. But he heard the underlying challenge in her tone.

"I humbly accept such a gracious offer Lady Haruno."

The silky, cultured and polite timbre of his voice raised her hackles. She couldn't tell if he was mocking her or not. Sakura put a finger to her temple, and tapped the digit against the skin. After a moment of serious contemplation she finally said, "Are you sure the rest of you want to refuse? I already know from past experience that once you people have been given an order, that there's absolutely nothing I can say to you, to make you leave. Wouldn't it be better to come inside and make yourselves comfortable?"

She didn't bother to wait for them to respond to that. She wasn't going to sit there and beg for them to change their mind. If they preferred to hang out in the trees like a bunch of apes, then who was she to argue with that? Sakura strode to the porch, before opening the door, and standing to the side to allow whoever had decided to take her up on her offer to pass through. She wasn't surprised when they all walked into her home. The female was sorely tempted to roll her eyes at the lot of them. Shutting the door behind her, she realized that having the four men in the small shrine all at once, really did dwarf the room. They all took off their masks, and shrugged out of their cowls, setting them aside.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, she strode past her confused cat, who was eyeing the strange visitors with trepidation in her amber eyes. Sakura set the tea kettle on the stove, and then rummaged through the cabinet for cups. She had never had guests in her house before and so it took her a few minutes of standing on her tippy toes and digging through the pantry to clear aside the junk just to get to the teacups. Sakura really didn't want to crawl up onto the counter in her robes to pick up the the mugs just out of her fingers grasp. Her eyes widened when a masculine, black sleeved arm shot past her vision only to grab the very thing she had struggled to reach.

Dark red suffused her cheeks, when she looked into the face of the arm's owner. She mumbled embarrassed, "Thank you."

Itachi merely set the container down on the surface of the counter, his expression inscrutable. He stated without inflection, "You don't get many visitors."

Sakura snatched up the cups and went to wash them to remove the dust, unnerved by his proximity. His little attack on her a fortnight ago, still fresh in her mind. When he didn't seem like he was going to move away any time soon, she bristled and then snapped at him, "You're very observant. Want a medal?"

When the teakettle finally begin to trill, she grabbed a potholder, irked that she had to go around the male who was still watching her like she was a very interesting object under scrutiny. She poured the boiling water, then put the instant packets inside the hot, still bubbling liquid. Taking them to the table, she avoided the gaze of the Uchiha standing behind her only to have her eyes settle on the one sitting down at her small table in front of her.

Naruto asked her while staring down at the coloring liquid, "Do you have any cream and sugar?" And then shrunk back at the irritated glare she sent him. He rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Eh heh, never mind. I like it plain."

With that Sakura pivoted on her heel and stalked to her room, slamming shut the sliding door.

"Dobe," Sasuke sent a superior smirk in Naruto's direction, "You really are scared of that woman..."

Pale faced, Naruto didn't even bother to reply to the jab and instead sipped at his weak tea before making a face.

Neji observed idly, "It really is much smaller in here than the size of the outer building would have one believe."

Everyone's eyes widened when the female's voice suddenly cracked like a whip from the other room, "If you don't like it rich boy then get the hell out of my house and go sit in your tree! You do a pretty good impression of a monkey anyway."

His silvery eyed orbs narrowed dangerously, his gaze trailing like a laser beam to the shoji door.

Naruto having forgotten his momentary fear snickered, "Impression of a monkey..."

The look sent at the blond promised nothing short of pure violence. The gaze didn't have the desired effect on the receiver, because Naruto merely chuckled.

The eldest Uchiha watched the interaction between the younger males, and was suddenly pleased they weren't in his squad. Their lack of discipline was appalling. It was little wonder the diminutive green eyed female wasn't in the least bit afraid of them. To her, the ANBU uniform was nothing more than playing dress-up. There was nothing more dangerous than ignorance, he thought remembering her reaction to his sharingan.

Sakura stepped out of her room, relieved to be free of her cumbersome robes. She longed to bathe, but with these four males on her property, she felt a bit odd about going out to take a bath while they were there. It's not like they'd be in there with her, the idea just felt weird. Sakura sat down at the table, tucking her knees beneath her. Picking up the cup of the steaming beverage, she wrapped her hands around the warm porcelain, gathering her thoughts. She took a sip, and then sat it down on the table. Hana padded over, curling up against her hip before settling down on the mat, purring contentedly.

"I'm going to get straight to the point. Obviously the old bas -- I mean, the Hokage, sent you here to keep an eye on me to make sure I don't try and run away. That much is pretty clear. The thing I don't understand is," she tilted her head to the side, trying to wrap her brain around the idea, "Were all four of you just going to sit in the trees for three days?"

"Like we would tell you what we were planning," Sasuke rolled his eyes at her like he considered her the world's largest idiot.

Sakura arched a brow at the spiky haired male, "I think I'm being pretty laid back, considering you four are basically stalking me."

Silence met this announcement from the female.

"I really would like to have my privacy if at all possible. Don't you have like some sort of tracking devices or some such thing you could utilize in this instance?" She picked up her tea to sip at it again.

"I apologize, but you will have to put up with being under surveillance for the next three days," Itachi spoke from his position against the wall. He proffered to stay standing while maintaining enough distance to observe the strange female, "It is an inconvenience that we all will have to endure."

Sakura didn't think he sounded all that apologetic. She sighed pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose beginning to lose patience, "This is truly ridiculous. I'm not going to run off. Where in the hell would I even go?" Reaching down, she ran her hand over Hana in soothing strokes, eliciting a purr from the already half-asleep cat, "The funny thing -- and yes there is something I find amusing. According to the Hokage, I should try to get to know the four of you. I do not understand how I could do such a thing even if I wanted to." Life was beginning to make less and less sense to the young woman lately, "How in the hell would that even be possible under the circumstances?"

"We have troubled you enough," Itachi gestured at the rest of the squad that had been put together out of convenience, knowing that any more conversation would result in an argument with the volatile female.

Sakura watched them with a frown on her face as they donned their ridiculous costumes once more before disappearing out of sight, within the span of an eye blink. The only evidence that anyone had been there was the half empty teacups still sitting on the old, low sitting table. Her eyes shut half way with annoyance, when she realized she could still in fact feel their chakra signatures just outside. It made her eyebrow tick with irritation.

Muttering under her breath, leaving the mess where it was. She went and gathered clean clothes. Stalkers be damned, she was going to take a bath. Grabbing a towel, and her various hygiene items she marched up to the hot spring house. She was glad it was all enclosed and that she would be able to lock the door. However, after seeing them practically disappear from the living quarters of the shrine, the assurance of a deadbolt was far less reassuring than it was before she seen that little party trick.

With this in mind, she halted mid-step next to a tree trunk, she announced loud enough for them to hear, "If one of you suddenly gets any weird ideas," she paused and lining her knuckles with chakra, she punched the bark off of the side of the trunk with a fierce jab that was also powerful enough to cause the whole poor plant to shake as well, "This will be your face."

Satisfied with her warning, she disappeared into the little bathhouse, slamming the door shut behind her. The action raising the brows of all the males present.

**-o-**

**Sneak Peak: **

_Her fingers brushed against the material of the clothing hidden deep within the shadowy recesses. Childhood remininscence assaulted her already strained emotions, when her hand fell on a familiar, half forgotten outfit composed of light beige. Grasping the hanger, Sakura pulled the dress out. The hue was like the underside of a deer's soft belly. The lapels extended from neck to waist, where the material split open, revealing a blue skirt beneath that would end just below the knees. At the neck there were silver adornments on both sides shaped like crescent moons, a matching silver chain connecting them._

_"Would you mind?" Sakura voiced in askance, the sound near a whisper, "I'd rather not have to face this alone."_

**-o-**

**A/N: Until Next time. ^_-**


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N:_ **There's really nothing for me to talk about here. I suppose making an author's note about nothing is silly. So enough of this. On with the chapter.

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Naruto ect.

_**Chapter 4**_

During the first two days until she had to go meet the Hokage with a solid answer, the young woman hardly gave it any thought. She tried her best to ignore the coming and going of the chakra signatures on her property. It seemed that they had decided it would be wiser to take shifts. After the first day, the most she'd sense was two, maybe three, probably to switch out. She gave an unladylike snort as she swept the porch and wooden steps. She'd been half tempted a few times to knock one of them out of their perch in the tree, and demand if they were going to stalk her, at least make themselves useful and help out with her chores. She had to tamp down her temper, when she felt one shadow her to her part time job.

Teuchi had commented on her surly attitude, but she really didn't feel like admitting that she was being followed like some criminal by the shinobi. Hana watched her mistress from her perch on the railing. Sakura smiled at the feline, before reaching over to readjust the pink collar once again. The cat purred and once again Sakura found herself lost in thought. Tomorrow morning was her meeting with the Sandaime. Even though she knew was being watched, she began to sing to her cat, as she was apt to do from time to time. She thought about singing as horribly as she could to annoy her visitors, but she figured her cat didn't deserve that, and so the female managed to stay in tune.

Hana tilted her head to the side. The feline had heard this particular tune many times. Pausing Sakura gazed out into the horizon, the vibrancy of the colors streaking the horizon, was brilliant against darkening sapphire. She thought about Koharu's words to her, and also, she was still taken aback that she did have a living relative. The elderly woman knew far more than she did. There was still so much, she knew that she did not know. Also, the old woman had told her, her abilities were more shamanistic in character. Sakura wished she could explore this avenue a bit more deeply. Now that she recalled, she did remember it was her mother who took care of most of the ceremonial duties. It was her mother who had taught them to her.

The breeze caressed the skin of her cheeks, the comfortable temperature of a spring evening, setting her frazzled nerves a little more slightly at ease. Sakura wasn't even sure she'd be able to sleep that night. In the end, all her bravado had gotten her no where. She wondered if she should have protested the elders' decision, instead of telling them to do whatever they wanted. She had always kept herself separate from the populace.

"Courage gives us feeble humans the ability to go beyond ourselves to protect that of which we hold dear huh?" Sakura mumbled to herself, under her breath. She looked at Hana who was watching her with hazy, half-asleep amber orbs, "Sounds easier said than done, doesn't it?"

Hana replied by stretching out the length of her body, her claws scraping against the old wood, her maw gaping open in a wide yawn. Setting the broom against the side of the house, Sakura scooped up the feline into her arms before carrying her into the house for the night. By the time she had the cat fed, and was ready to bed down for the night, her mind was filled with chaotic thoughts. She knew that in her position, there was no way she could fight these people. It angered her that she was being backed into a corner, with no choice. She didn't like that she had to concede so that she would be able to continue to protect her way of life. It was all so twisted. It was many hours into the night, before the young woman was able to finally capture the ever evasive slumber. Strangely enough that night, her rest was devoid of dreams.

The morning light pierced the confines of her sleep. Pink eyelashes fluttered, and the young woman sat up. The dawn's shadows danced over her features as she stretched. Rising, she knew that soon she would have to face that of which she dreaded. Sakura wasn't a vain woman but she pondered on what she should wear for this meeting. To her, it would be like dressing for battle. She didn't want to wear her restrictive robes, and putting on her clothes that she wore to her part-time job was out of the question. Rubbing a sleeved arm over her eyes, she yawned and stretched.

Padding barefoot out of the small room, she contemplated breakfast but her stomach protested the idea. She went outside to the small hot spring house to relieve herself, and to brush her teeth and wash her face to ready herself today. Finally feeling somewhat refreshed she went back to the main home. The young woman eventually settled on a cup of tea, and a slice of toast. Nibbling on the edge of the bread. Hana soon let it be known that she was more than ready for her meal. Giving up on the half eaten toast, Sakura dumped the contents on the trash. She washed her plate and cup and set them to the side to dry. After feeding her cat, she went back to the small living room. She knew she wouldn't have much more time before she'd receive the summons from the Hokage, if the chakra signatures moving about outside were any indication.

Suddenly inspiration struck her, and Sakura went to the back corner of the home. She maintained the whole place regularly, but this room was one that she least often touched. Her parents' bedroom. Green eyes roamed over the bedrolls tucked neatly in the corner. Her toes wriggled against the old periwinkle throw rug. The soft scent of cedar tickled her nostrils, and the vision of fading memories tickled at the edge of her brain. She strode to the closet and with a deep, calming breath, she opened the sliding door. The sound of the squeaky tracks broke the somber silence.

Her fingers brushed against the material of the clothing hidden deep within the shadowy recesses. Childhood reminiscence assaulted her already strained emotions, when her hand fell on a familiar, half forgotten outfit composed of light beige. Grasping the hanger, Sakura pulled the dress out. The hue was like the underside of a deer's soft belly. The lapels extended from neck to waist, where the material split open, revealing a blue skirt beneath that would end just below the knees. At the neck there were silver adornments on both sides shaped like crescent moons, with a matching silver chain connecting them.

"Would you mind?" Sakura voiced in askance, the sound near a whisper, "I'd rather not have to face this alone."

She paused, still thinking it over. She tilted her head to the side to survey the dress. Her mother, looked to have been around her size. Built small and petite just like her. She shook out the material, to air it out. She sniffed at the outfit, pleased that it had retained a slight scent of cedar from the closet, and wasn't musty at all. Especially despite how long it had sat in there practically untouched. After a moment's hesitation, she shrugged out of her sleep clothes, and into the garment. Fortunately the material was comfortable and light. It fit her pretty well too. Pleased, she dug out the old pair of leather boots that went with it. They were just slightly too big, but with a pair of thick socks, they would fit her well enough. Sakura felt a strange sense of security wearing the ensemble.

She then brushed out her hair until it shone, and put her nearly waist length pink hair up into a high ponytail. Brushing her hands down the length of the material to smooth it out, she decided she would wait on the porch. Shutting the door behind her, she brushed her bangs out of her eyes with a hooked finger. The sound of the ongoing construction in the distance made her frown. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she looked out at the cliff side that they'd been working on since practically the moment they moved into town. She had wondered what they were carving in the precipice. However this morning, with the angle of the morning light she could make out the faces that were becoming more and more prominent against the sheer brown rock.

They were working on three faces from what she could tell. She didn't recognize who the first two were, but she could easily make out the visage of the Hokage's, whose features were being carved in on the far right. Her brows drew together sharply. Sighing, she put a hand to her throbbing temple. It was too early in the morning for this sort of thing. She stepped down to the gate, and just as she wrapped her fingers around the dark metal, a shinobi she hadn't seen before appeared on the other side. He was dressed in a dark green work vest, and black pants. He wore a dark charcoal colored skullcap that was tied at the front. But what stood out to her the most was the long toothpick hanging idly from his lips.

"He's ready for me, I take it," Sakura stated without preemptive.

The man nodded his head, and the woman gave a small sigh before opening the gate and stepping out. He was even going to have her escorted to the tower. She felt like a prisoner in her own village. How pathetic was that? Schooling her features to a mask of indifference, she dipped her head to indicate she was ready before striding out ahead of the man. To salvage her pride, Sakura led the way. She lived here all her life. She wasn't about to let some stranger lead her around like a lost puppy.

She was half tempted to give the old man a piece of her mind. The invasion of privacy that she had to endure for the past three days was just a little more than appalling. It was like he thought she was a coward. She was a woman, not a little girl who would run away from her duty. The prideful stature of her shoulders and gait drew many eyes as she cut through town. Despite her ire, her heart began to beat faster in the confines of her breast. She didn't falter however. She opened the entrance to the tower and strode in with far more confidence than she felt.

Sakura didn't allow her apprehension to slow her pace. Halting in front of the doors, her chin dipped momentarily. She breathed in deeply, trying to calm her nerves. It was no use, she realized. There was just no being confident in a situation like this. Not even her temper could save her from facing something of this magnitude. The shinobi behind her eyed her thoughtfully, before stepping around her and opening the entrance for her. He thought that perhaps she'd been waiting on him.

As the wooden door swung wide open, Sakura clenched her hands once tightly, before striding into the office. Just like before, the four young men were present. This time, they weren't dressed in their strange uniforms from the other day. Instead they were all garbed in their usual attire, their clan symbols emblazoned proudly somewhere on their clothing depending on the clan they hailed from.

Neji and Naruto were flanked on the left side of the desk, while Itachi and Sasuke were on the right, with the Hokage in the center. The comment about the Hokage and his posse of ninja was rather apt, she thought sourly. He gestured for her to sit, but she shook her head in refusal. Instead she crossed her arms and eyed the Sandaime with pique burning in her eyes, "You're a rather vain old man aren't you?"

The barefaced sarcasm directed at the Hokage, nearly caused Genma to choke on his toothpick.

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed on her face, but he held in his irritation with the young woman. He waved the escort away before saying, "That will be all Genma. You are dismissed."

Doing his absolute best to keep his features schooled into an impersonal mask. He executed a sharp bow before stepping out, and shut the door behind him. Outside the door, he covered a cough behind his hand before heading out to return to his usual duties.

Sakura's eyes narrowed, not caring if she pissed the old man off or not, "Does it make you feel all warm and happy inside that you get to share your face with the world or something? Haven't you people ever heard of a thing called a statue? Really, it's the normal thing for most leaders to have done."

Naruto glanced at the Hokage, waiting for him to lose his temper with the girl again. He should have made Neji be the one to stand next to the Sandaime. Kami knows that the woman was not one to keep a civil tongue in the presence of well -- anyone as far as he'd witnessed.

Sarutobi knew that the woman was trying push the conversation off track with her sarcasm. It was the only reason he was choosing to ignore it. He laced his gnarled fingers together before laying them against the surface of the desk in a calm manner, "Thank you Lady Haruno for your compliance. Let us get down to business, shall we? Have you come to a decision?"

The fact that the Hokage seen through her caustic words, made the nervousness she felt before come back. Her leisurely stance straightened and her expression melted into one of seriousness. She supposed it was now or never. Nodding, she began to speak, the evenly controlled timbre of her tone held an edge of authority that had all eyes in the room trained on her, "Yes I have. I cannot adhere to your wishes, and reveal my beliefs to complete strangers. It is my right to do as my family has done in this land for a thousand years," she paused allowing her words to weigh heavy in the silence, "I also understand that with the merging of this old village and the Konoha alliance, that," the words stuck in her throat but she forced them out, "agreeing to a union of interests is an acceptable avenue of decision."

The tense lines around Sarutobi's eyes lessened at the woman's eloquent compliance but he knew she had more to say, "I see. I'm glad that you've seen that we do not wish to force you to accept against your will. It is good then, that you are agreeable to the circumstances."

She bristled, knowing that he was letting her know he was relieved that she was willing to comply and that if she had refused it wouldn't have bode well for her. Swallowing the lump of anger in her throat, she dipped her head, "However, I do have certain demands that must be met before I will completely assent to your _suggestion," _a touch of coolness tinged her voice, and still she pressed on, "I am aware that, the heirs present, have clan compounds that are being built at this time. As much as I understand that it is normal for the bride to situate herself with the groom's family. I will not acquiesce to this. My clan as I have mentioned before have resided in these lands for many generations whereas, these new clans have just moved into the area. This is not something that I will relent on."

Sarutobi eyed the female thoughtfully mulling over her bold assertion. He had the feeling that this particular woman would fight them to the bloody death if they tried to relocate her forcibly. As it was, the original residents held many superstitions about this woman and to have the shinobi attack her would cause far more problems than would reasonably be worthwhile. It was possible that the civilians may even try to revolt, believing themselves in danger of being cursed by this pink haired enigma. He already knew that all of the clan leaders, of the heirs present would pitch a fit at this demand. However for her to concede this quickly had shocked him. He had honestly expected more fight from this woman. He wasn't going to let such a thing impede his plans.

"I understand Lady Haruno. This will not be a problem," the elderly male was aware of the sharp looks that he received from the nin in the room, but he pointedly ignored them.

Dipping her head in acknowledgement, "Since that matter is settled. I really have nothing else to demand. Although I have a title, I have no dowry to give to the accepting family."

"We are already aware of this. The Ixion elders informed of us of your situation," Sarutobi responded and then continued on sagely, "The clan leaders were also told before we asked for their consent."

The pace of her heart quickened, but she forced herself to look into each set of eyes. She spoke calmly, "Also, I had no time to get to know any of the suitors present in the room, during the time frame you gave me since -- you had them keep me under surveillance instead."

The old man was taken aback by her sharp astuteness but he covered his surprise by loudly clearing his throat. "I see. You were you able to make a decision?"

"To me, all of the candidates are at this point in time are interchangeable. I realize I have no understanding of clan politics and as such, I feel that no matter whom I would choose I would still be starting from the bottom. So," she extended a hand, the deceivingly delicate appendage gestured with a graceful flourish, "I would rather form the agreement with someone with no qualms of this impending marital contract. In this case, I will let them decide or," she arched a nonchalant elegant brow in their direction, "perhaps you had a specific person in mind?"

None of them having expecting that all froze, including the Hokage. Naruto and Neji looked decidedly uncomfortable by this announcement. Sasuke merely returned the lifted eyebrow right back at her.

Itachi eyed the young woman thoughtfully. He honestly hadn't expected for her to turn the tables on them thusly and put the final decision in their lap. He knew that neither the Hyuuga or Uzumaki had any real interest in marrying the female. He was aware that Sasuke would do so if ordered to, and despite his brother's undaunted words from the other day of his feelings on the matter. Itachi believed that Sasuke would be in over his head with this mysterious woman. He heard the challenge in her bold statement. With this, she was effectively calling them out on their bluff. She knew just as well as they, that most people didn't want to end up being tied for life to a near stranger. There was a sharp intelligence in her eyes that he hadn't noticed before. Each meeting he had with this female, only end up making him all that much more curious about her.

It was almost all the normally stoic male could do to keep a dark smirk that wanted to surface from twisting his lips. He stared into the depths of her green eyes and held them until the widened slightly when she realized exactly what he meant to do.

Sakura watched as he broke rank and stepped towards her, his eyes trained on her face. She suddenly felt like a rabbit caught in the sights of a hungry wolf. He spoke with each slow step that he took, his voice drawing the attention of the room, "I see. It is good that you've decided to take to this in such a level headed manner Lady Haruno. When I told my father that I would agree to this alliance between our clans, I meant it. I am not a man who gives my word _lightly_."

The other men besides Sasuke in the room flinched beneath the jab at their misgivings of keeping their given word. When push came to shove, they had backed down. The Uchiha found such cowardice on their behalf unacceptable. If they couldn't stand behind an agreement that they had themselves acceded to, then they shouldn't have done so in the first place.

He could tell that she was wanting to balk. The heel of her right foot lifted as if she wanted to take a step back, to put more distance between them. But then, she surprised him by settling it back down in place and holding her ground. She tilted her head at him, the challenge in her words reflected on her face. It was similar to the look she'd given him the first time they'd met. Her behavior solidified his resolve. He wondered if she realized that she was giving him a large opening in which to penetrate those secrets of which she guarded so sacredly. He was no idiot. There was something beyond religious reverence in the way she carried herself. Her mouth for one, did not reflect the normal gentle mannerisms and the quiet wisdom of faith. He, too, like the others had felt that surge of chakra. He would be the first to admit, that leaving such an untapped power left alone and unwatched made something in him nervous. It was almost like they had moved in on a land mine they didn't quite know how to dismantle. Unbeknownst to him, the gleam in his eye was becoming more and more predatory by the second.

The way he was looking at her made Sakura's heart squeeze in her chest. Out of all the males in the room, she had thought, that this one would be the last of them to step forward. He was different than the other three. He was so in control of himself, self-contained, and as arrogant as any aristocrat. The difference between him, and the others was like night and day. The feminine part buried deep within her realized this. A large part of her wanted to refuse him out right, and to immediately pick one of the others.

He finally came to a halt in front of her, his liquid, panther like movements had nearly hypnotized her. Swallowing, she continued to look up into his face. She muttered without realizing she was doing it, "The red-eyed demon dragon king huh..." It was spoken so softly, that he was the only one that had heard it.

The slow dark smirk that began to form on his chiseled lips made the hairs on the nape of her neck rise. He was answering her challenge, she discerned belatedly. If she backed out now, she knew he would know that she was conceding defeat to him. The very idea exasperated her. He was turning the table right back around, and in the process he threw her words right back at her.

Gritting her teeth with visible signs of temper, she crossed her arms and her slender body took on the contemptuous pose she had adopted when she'd first entered the office. Her voice was uneven, even as she did her best to appear unaffected by his announcement, "Are you certain Uchiha-sama? The others haven't had a chance to voice their opinions."

The smirk deviated into a smile that wasn't exactly what she would describe as friendly. If anything it served to unnerve her, which was probably its intention. To those behind him, he sounded as emotionless as ever, but she could see the quick flash of triumph in his onyx eyes, "I assure you Lady Haruno, that they would agree that this would be for the best."

The answering silence was more of enough of a response to her.

The Hokage spoke, "Excellent. I shall have the legal documents processed immediately," he paused before continuing in a neutral tone, "I will leave it to the two of you to decide on the ceremony to take place. I am sure Uchiha-sama that your family would like to be included in on the details."

By the balls of Shukaku, Sakura mentally cursed and then just as quickly made a silent apology to the Bijuu for even thinking it.

Itachi realizing the female was taken by thought, answered the Hokage in her stead, "Indeed. Since it has been decided, I will take her to meet the other members of my immediate family. If I may be dismissed?"

"Granted. Take the rest of the day off Uchiha-sama and report back to me in the morning with the date that has been decided so that I can put in the paper work for further processing," the Sandaime said.

The ANBU captain executed a sharp bow before turning back to the woman who was still deep in thought. He wondered absently how long it would take for him to get her to finally crack.

Sakura's eyes lifted when he put his elbow out to her in a polite gesture. She merely gave him an inscrutable look before leaving the room, the skirt of her dress twirling almost violent with the sharp movement. She tried slamming the door on the Uchiha following her, but her merely braced the door with his hand as he caught it, before shutting it lightly behind them.

She knew the moment he caught up to her. Sakura realized that she needed to get a firm grip on her anger and herself. If she was going to meet his family, she would hold herself with the pride of one of her station. Halting mid step, she turned to face Itachi, "Are we going to head directly to the compound? I can't believe that it would be finished already."

"It's still undergoing construction," he admitted lightly, "But my family has already taken up residence there."

"I see," she started to fidget under the intensity of his gaze.

"That is an interesting choice of clothing Lady Haruno," his sudden comment took her off kilter, "Would you like to head back to your home first to change into something more suitable?"

Sakura contemplated his query but then shook her head, "No thank you. I believe that it would be best if your parents can glimpse first hand the differences in my culture."

He eyed her oddly, "You look like a..." he paused not quite certain how to describe her eccentric ensemble.

"A shaman?" Sakura murmured, her eyes growing shadowed with thought for a moment, "Then that would be the correct assumption."

"I thought it was said that you were a shrine warrior," he couldn't believe that she was being so talkative with him.

"That is correct," she replied cryptically.

"Hn."

"Don't think about it too hard now," Sakura quipped at him, while clasping her hands behind her back as she ambled along, "I wouldn't want you to rupture something."

Itachi was quick to notice all the curious looks being sent in their direction. When the festival was going on, most people were too busy to pay any mind to Sakura. He voiced thoughtfully, "You really are the focus of a lot of scrutiny."

"Are you prepared Uchiha-sama?" She glanced sideways at him, her lip quivering with supressed amusement, "You just agreed to marrying the village witch."

Sakura wasn't surprised when he didn't respond to her little joke. She shook her head, he really had no idea. She had spent the years after her parents' death in working on shrouding herself deeper in mystery. She had fostered their suspicions, and had worked hard at nurturing the mysticism surrounding her. Even the former captain of the guard had a healthy fear of her. Life had been lonely for her, but she had been perfectly fine with what she had wrought with her own hands.

"Prejudice breeds ignorance," she mumbled averting her eyes to the toes of the brown boots, the sound of her voice drawing his attention on her fully, "I will try my best. To understand."

The Uchiha wondered if being vague was just a specialty of hers. At first she had had started like she'd been about to lecture him, and then in the next breath, it sounded like she was making a promise of some kind.

Sakura was startled when he offered his elbow once again, "We are approaching the Uchiha compound. First, I will take you to meet my parents. You already have met Sasuke, he is my only sibling."

This time she took the proffered appendage silently. Gazing ahead, she took note of the large, oppressive beige walls that had the symbol of a red and white fan painted on the entrance. Beyond it, she could see the tops of buildings in the middle of being built. Once they passed over on the other side, she was amazed by how many people were actually on the other side. Being an orphan herself, she hadn't imagined that a clan could be so large. It looked like they were building a mini-city on this side. Buildings for vendor's goods, and homes extended far out into the distance.

Sakura couldn't believe that the change was taking place so quickly. Her words to the elders about being swallowed whole was far more apt than she would have ever thought they'd be. The remnants of Ixion would be completely forgotten within the span of three generations at most, she realized startled. Even the entire face of the community was easily being bent by the ways of the militant shinobi. This Fire Country being born reflected the changes of the times. It was at this very moment, Sakura felt more out of place than she ever had in her life. It was no wonder Koharu had called her knowledge a burden. The pink haired woman understood exactly how the elderly woman felt at that moment. She herself had told the shinobi that she could care less if they burned Ixion to the ground, but that hadn't been the truth at all. She was even conceding to allowing this man at her side to take over part of her life.

The pain that lodged herself in the region of her breast was excruciatingly painful. It wasn't physical pain, but something far worse. If she hadn't had her arm looped through his, she probably would have been driven to her knees by the sheer intensity of the sudden wave of emotion. Conquered. She was allowing herself to be just that. Sakura covered her mouth with her free hand, the bile in her stomach churning dangerously.

Itachi who had been watching Sakura out of the peripheral of his vision, noticed her tanned skin going completely pale. She was also beginning to sag. The haunted look in her eyes was alarming. But, the thing that concerned him most was that yellow and green tendrils of chakra were beginning to leak from her fingertips, the strands twisting and turning vividly against the hue of her skin. He noticed that the other clan members were beginning to notice the woman's odd behavior. That was the last thing he needed.

"Sakura," he said her name for the first time, but she didn't seem to notice. She was so drawn into whatever it was she was thinking about. He repeated her name a little more loudly this time, the edge of authority in the tone unmistakable, "Sakura."

She blinked slowly and then looked up at him. Her eyes were unfocused, her pupils had dilated so large that the green color of her eyes was not much more than a thin ring. The twisting spirals of her chakra was starting to wrap around his arm and travel up the length of his wrist, causing goosebumps as it trailed over his epidermis. He could feel his own chakra reacting in proximity to hers, the red strands was surfacing and was slowly touching the edge of hers almost tentatively. He touched her cheek with his free hand, knowing that touch was a powerful tool. If properly utilized, could work to bring her focus back to him.

Sakura felt the brush of fingertips against the soft epidermis of her cheek. Blinking she found herself looking up into flint obsidian orbs. There was no emotion in his eyes, but his touch was warm and oddly gentle.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. He noticed the exact moment when she became fully cognizant of her surroundings once again. Immediately the chakra had disappeared back into the woman as if it had never been there. He wondered if she was even aware of what she had been doing.

"Are you alright?" the resonance of his distinguishable tenor pulled her attention onto him fully.

Her unencumbered hand, curled before flattening against the center of her chest. Sakura answered, but her voice was so soft that he had to strain to make out the words, "Yes. I was distracted by my thoughts. My apologies."

She caught the look of undisguised incredulity marring his features, deepening the lines slanting down his cheeks, before smoothing out an instant later into his usual indifference. If she had blinked she would have missed it. Closing herself off from her dire thoughts, she forced herself to focus on the situation at hand. She would have time to reflect later, when she was finally alone.

They stopped in front of a home that looked like it was complete. It was a beautiful home, set next to a small pond. It was fairly large for a family of four, she thought to herself. It had a lovely wrap around porch that vaguely reminded her of the shrine. It must because his father was the clan leader. The Hokage had mentioned that the Uchiha's were going to head the military police force as well.

She remembered the stern-faced male she met in the Hokage's office after the parade. Fugaku Uchiha, she remembered him introduced as. Before Itachi could open the door to the newly built home, a woman opened the entrance and stepped out, her hands folded primly against her apron. Sakura felt the woman's instant scrutiny of her person, "Itachi, is this her?"

"Yes, mother meet Lady Sakura Haruno," he introduced her and then indicated his free hand towards the other woman, "Sakura, this is my mother, Mikoto Uchiha."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the shrine maiden replied, her tone surprisingly polite.

Mikoto reached out to take the girl's slender hand in hers. "The pleasure is mutual. Please come in. I believe we have much to discuss. Itachi, your father is here waiting for your arrival as well."

Sakura arched a brow at the older woman. Wasn't it a little arrogant to assume that she would pick their eldest son? Or really, one the Uchiha sons anyway. After all the Hyuuga heir, and the Uzumaki heir were also among the candidates that could have been chosen. Before Sakura could vocalize her opinion on the matter, she was shuffled inside. Shedding her boots, she was given a pair of fuzzy pink slippers to wear inside. Gingerly slipping her feet into them, she curled her toes against the soft material. They really had been expecting her after all, she realized with a start. Apparently Itachi's mother believed in the prowess of her sons over that of Neji and Naruto. Sakura covered her mouth with her hand to trap the laughter that wanted to escape.

The truth of this was further cemented for Sakura when Mikoto took her to their spacious living room, and gestured to the sofa with a tray of awaiting appetizers. She flicked her wrist and lifted her palm, indicating for the young woman to sit. Sakura did as she was bade, and tried not to wince when Itachi sat down right next to her, his thigh brushing against her own. Her back immediately went ramrod straight at the contact.

"So Lady Haruno, I've only heard that your family is the last of a noble clan of this fine community," Mikoto's brown eyes caught her own, the older woman brushed her black bangs out of her face before continuing, "I would like to hear more about you."

At that announcement Fugaku strode in from the other room. He nodded at his son, and then glanced at the pink haired woman. His eyes hiked up her frame, taking in her strange attire but refrained from commenting on it. He sat down next to his wife, "I didn't realize that you had already arrived. Please continue, I didn't mean to interrupt..."

Sakura felt Itachi's piercing eyes on her face. She quickly went over what she could say and still manage to remain pleasant. Folding her hands in her lap, lending herself a demure air. She smiled gently at the older woman, "Well, honestly there isn't much to say. I currently reside in the old shrine at the edge of town. I am the daughter of the former keepers, and I continue my duty as their only heir. I've lived in the village my entire life, and I'm glad that you find this community pleasant. Most of the residents here, are descendants of the original settlers. We are a very quiet, and peaceful people. The surroundings provide natural protection. The Konoha Alliance chose well."

She could see Itachi's eyes narrow on her. She knew he had expected a sarcastic quip, or some such caustic statement from her. Sakura wasn't exactly trying to make a good impression on his family. She really didn't care, as much as she just wanted to keep things peaceful.

Mikoto nodded her agreement, "I agree. I'm so glad we finally found a place to settle in. Our alliance joined together for the purpose of co-existence, but we had no place to set down our roots. For many years we moved unable to find..." the woman's eyes shadowed with memory, and Fugaku put his hand on her arm. The woman paused, a small smile on her face as she gazed up into her husband's face in sweet askance.

Fugaku continued, the tenor of his voice eerily similar to his eldest son's, "The alliance was forged in my grandfather's time."

_Understand them_. The words of the old woman echoed in her head. Sakura swallowed thickly, unnerved by the emotion marring Mikoto's face. It had probably been difficult for her to give birth to two sons, and then try to raise them always on the move. Their dangerous way of life was probably difficult for any mother to accept. The genuine gentleness in Sakura's voice was like the hum of a breeze, the quality was almost surreal, like a soft melody, "This village is a wonderful place to raise children. The cliffs give safety against invaders, and we are surrounded by thick forest."

"Yes, we were glad when we realized that the elders were so willing to work with us," Mikoto was blunt, her soft brown eyes seeking the younger woman's face.

Itachi interjected, not liking the intimate track the conversation between the two women was taking, "The Hokage asked that I returned to him in the morning with a set date, and the details of the type of ceremony that we decided upon."

Mikoto cleared her throat, and then spoke again, "I know my son is the heir to the clan, but we are still getting settled in and there is much going on in this village and will be for months to come. I understand that since this union is one forged out of good wills between our merging, I believe that the style of ceremony should be left up to you. Our own council is busy with other preparations, so if you both would rather have something small, I personally wouldn't object."

Relief filtered onto Sakura's face. She nodded, "Actually I was hoping you would say something like that. Since our marriage is more of a legal binding matter -- I would prefer just to sign the registry with minimal witnesses under the Hokage," when the other woman's face fell in disappointment at that announcement, Sakura found herself saying before she really was able to mull over her words, "Of course, perhaps when things in Konoha," it almost hurt physically to say the new village name, "settle down. Then we could hold a celebration, so that your family members and friends of your family will be able to attend."

Fugaku raised a curious brow at the young woman, "You have no family." He was inwardly surprised at the pink haired woman's docile manner. He remembered her being rather abrasive with the Hokage. He had agreed to the match only because the Sandaime had requested it himself. Hyuuga-sama and Uzumaki-sama had also seemed reluctant to give their approval.

Sakura paused thinking of Koharu but highly doubted the elderly woman wanted others to know of their blood relation. She shook her head, "None. My parents died when I was still a child, while protecting the village from invaders. My grandparents had also already passed on before I was born. I never got to meet them. As for other relatives I know of none."

"We will make preparations to have a home built in the compound, so that you can move in once you've..." Fugaku started to say.

She raised a hand stemming the flow of words from the older man, "I'm sorry to interrupt. But, part of my agreement to this, was that I was able to remain at my current residence."

"What?!" Fugaku suddenly flared at her, "We have already conceded much by allowing you to marry into our clan, with only a title to your name. I cannot agree to such an outrageous demand. The Uchiha family members, especially the heir, belongs in the compound."

Immediately Sakura bristled at his domineering statement. She was on her feet, her entire stature stiff with anger, "The Hokage agreed to my only given requirement."

Mikoto and Fugaku both did a double take, obsidian and doe brown orbs slid over to the stoic male still sitting on the couch in a completely relaxed pose. He dipped his head, "Yes. She speaks the truth. The Hokage informed her that such a request was reasonable. The shrine is situated fairly close to the compound. I saw no problem with the location, and so I agreed to her one request since it is indeed a small, unimportant matter."

Sakura glanced back at the stoic male. He didn't even bother to look up at her. She sat back down, her cheeks still lined red with ire. Oh what she wouldn't give to be home under her covers, with Hana sleeping at her feet!

Fugaku let out a sigh, "I see. If you have no qualms with it, then I will overlook it for the time being."

"Actually, the area will provide quite an advantageous position for our clan. It is located at at the top of the hill, and it overlooks the whole village. I have heard that the Inuzuka, Aburame, and the Nara clan has finally made a permanent contract with the Konoha Alliance."

"I see," the older male rubbed his chin with his forefinger and thumb, pitched deep into thought.

"So they finally decided it would be worthwhile to align themselves with us completely. I expected as much, although not so soon. The Hokage also mentioned to the clan leaders that the Akimachi have already finalized an agreement with the alliance. They are already beginning to build homes to accommodate them."

Sakura listened to the conversation with wide eyes. More shinobi were going to move into the village. If those clans were even half the size of the Uchiha one, this village would have a military force to be reckoned with. The elders must have known this probably would happen. They had basically cemented the village's future with the newly forming Fire Country in this one precise move. It was almost too much for the backwater country bumpkin, shrine woman to take in.

Mikoto eyed her son proudly, the next words spoken were released almost as if Sakura wasn't in the room, "That's wonderful Itachi, that you secured your marriage with Lady Haruno, before the other clans moved in and another heir had the chance to take advantage of such a pact."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. She went from being a lucky woman with only her title to recommend her to a valuable asset to be snatched up by the Uchiha clan. Here she was, going out of her way to be nice to these people, and within minutes she was relegated to an object. Lovely. The suddenly cold, sarcastic lilt to her voice that had remained silent for this whole exchange made itself known. She shot to her feet once more startling the occupants in the room, "I'd like to say it's been a pleasure, but I was taught that it was wrong to lie. I'm not a kunoichi so, I will have to apologize for what you would probably consider an insufficient personality trait. It's getting late in the day, so I should hurry home to feed my cat. I'll just see myself out. Thank you for your hospitality."

Before anyone could say a word to her, she was a blur of beige and pink making a beeline for the door. She was half way down the street when a masculine hand clamped over her shoulder, forcibly making her halt in her tracks. She was so incredibly angry by this point that she was shaking. How dare they? Peeking up through her bangs she could tell that Itachi was less than happy with her.

"What in the hell do you want? I believe I informed you I was going home!" She snapped at him, while smacking his hand off of her.

"We were not done discussing the details of our arrangement," his tone was pure ice. She could see that he was barely holding his temper in check himself.

"Well go back in there and figure that out your damn self." She folded her arms over her chest, uncaring that the volume of her voice was drawing attention to them, "Since I'm really just an object to you people. Then what the hell does it matter? All I've stated from the beginning is that I won't leave my shrine. That's it. So if you want to set the date for tomorrow, next week, or next year. I really don't give a damn."

"You need to desist in raising your voice at me in this manner," Itachi's arrogant drawl was the snapping point for her, "You're blatant disrespect is shameful, and I will not continue to tolerate your insolence."

The dangerous glint in her eyes was more than enough warning for the shinobi. She was like a bull that had a red flag swished in front of her face. Sakura's foot kicked out, and even though Itachi jumped back avoiding the attack easily. She went at him like a wildcat hellbent on causing him pain. She swung a nasty right hook that would have made any bar room drunk proud. He tried to catch her fist, but the ridiculous strength hidden in those tiny fists of hers caught him off guard, and it set him off balance as her knuckles scraped his palm with a bruising graze that stung.

Itachi wanted to end this quickly, before everyone in the Uchiha clan heard her caterwauling and came to check out what the ruckus was. It was bad enough that his parents were watching her unseemly behavior. His mother had her fingertips to her mouth, obviously uncertain as to what to do. His father's expression was shuttered, but he knew that his father was just as unhappy about the situation as he was.

Sakura noticed that his eyes had gone red again. She cursed at him spitting like an angry feline, "You damn red-eyed weasel!" This comment made Itachi's gaze narrow on her with unconcealed aggravation, "I'm going to kick your ass!"

Itachi didn't respond to her threat instead, the tomoe in his eyes began to spin as he sought to force her compliance. He was bewildered when she continued to come at him, like a berserker, her fists flying wildly at him but he dodged each attack easily. It didn't seem that the sharingan had any effect on this woman. Which, should be a complete impossibility. She had chakra, but it hadn't seemed like she contained a large amount. Neither was she shinobi trained, so genjutsu should take immediate effect on her.

Sakura felt something trying to take hold of her mind. Her rage ebbed some at the peculiar sensation. She lifted her gaze to his and noticed that three comma shaped pupils were spinning in the depths of the crimson iris. Tilting her head to the side, she wondered what it was that he was trying to do. She whispered fearfully despite her bravado of before, "What's wrong with your eyes?" The girl took an uncertain step back.

His orbs focused on the features of her face and quickly took note of the undisguised puzzlement, and the tomoe in his orbs slowed. So, the sharingan really seemed to have no effect on her.

Fugaku stepped off the porch to gaze hard at the female's curious face, and then up into his son's visage and then back to the young woman who remained completely unaffected. It wasn't like his son was a complete novice when it came to controlling the sharingan. This was a puzzling dilemma indeed.

Sakura was taken aback, when suddenly there was a second set of sanguine orbs surveying her languidly. She felt the pressure again, but it was slight. When Itachi looked her in the eye again, the feeling heightened, and an almost lethargic sensation invaded her limbs. It was like they were trying to take over her mind, she thought to herself, the feeling of panic coiling in her chest.

Fearfully she looked at the two of them, anger forgotten, "What? What are you trying to do to me?"

"Interesting," Fugaku could tell that she was beginning to be affected but she was still able to resist the pull of their bloodline limit.

"Indeed," Itachi responded to his father's statement, understanding the weight behind them.

When Itachi took a step towards her, Sakura backed up. Now that anger was no longer fueling her, she was at a loss of what to do. She hated to admit that he frightened her. She had known that shinobi had unique ways of utilizing chakra, but she had no idea what she was facing, and that intimidated her even further.

"Lady Haruno. Please come back inside," Fugaku's tone was surprisingly neutral. He was still mulling over this new development.

She shook her head still backing away from them, "I'm sorry but I really should get home." At this point she was determined to keep her distance but she wasn't willing to turn her back on them to run either.

"Brother?"

The familiar voice, caused her to stiffen like nothing else would. She knew now that, yet another odd would be stacked against her.

"Sasuke, help us subdue her," Fugaku nodded at his son, waving him over to assist.

Sasuke stopped in surprise. He had seen Sakura backing away from his family but he hadn't thought too much about it, until he had seen that both his father and his sibling had their sharingan activated. And the girl was obviously somehow resisting their efforts. Apparently she was more than she seemed. This realization caused his brows to curve sharply with shock. He could see their other clan members watching the scene with inquisitive eyes. It was no wonder his family wanted to get the situation under control quickly. He could see his mother watching on, the worried look on her face clearly evident. Just what in the hell happened?

Sakura looked over her shoulder in trepidation at the spiky haired male. Her face paled when she realized that his eyes were also red. Was this their clan's special skill? The pressure increased dramatically, and she could feel the tug on her consciousness. She finally figured out that they were really trying to overcome her and bring her under their control. Fear gave way to indignant resentment. She could feel a drop of sweat trailing down her temple. She shut one eye against the throbbing pain in her temple. This was almost worse then being attacked physically.

Her teeth were gritted, her molars grinding as she spoke, the sound raspy, "I told you that I'm going to go home. We can..." a gasp left her as the next push came against her in a massive wave, "discuss this later." She was doing her absolute best to maintain her dignity. Her shoulders were quivering from the sheer effort that it was taking her to keep cognitive control.

To the onlookers the whole scene looked pitiable, that was, until chakra tendrils began to appear swirling, and winding around the strange young woman. The bizarre thing about it, was that, the colorful spirals weren't coming from her, but seemingly from the ground itself, the tips of radiant energy spiraling from the stone walk. The twisting colorful hues of energy seemed to curl about the woman in what seemed to be a protective manner. Then, the gathering audience began to back away, when the strands of chakra were suddenly followed by the eerie sound of voices. The breeze in the trees began to whip, shaking the canopy almost violently.

Sakura's brilliant orbs began to bleed completely green, the whites of her eyes disappearing.

She wasn't quite sure what was happening to her. She had felt herself slipping, into the control being forced upon her. She had been afraid, and something within the depths of her very soul seemed to cry out for help. She'd felt her chakra responding to her emotions, and then the energy from the planet itself seem to dance up to meet her. She was just as stunned as the audience that had gathered. It whirled around her like a convex tornado, whipping at her ponytail, and skirt. Just like the ceremony of binding, voices began to whisper in the breeze. It was like they were trying to soothe her, the sad song of the earth itself. The hold that was trying to take over her mind slipped completely away, freeing her, allowing her clarity.

Angered beyond belief that these strangers in her homeland, even after she would agree to their terms would try to force her to their will, to take away what was her birthright burned like hellfire in her spirit. Sakura didn't want to attack or hurt anyone. Not even the ones she felt who had wronged her. The voices rose in swelling crescendo, and those who witnessed the magnificence in the way she held herself were spellbound by what they were witnessing. Her hands were leaking her usual yellow chakra, and the flicker of a scythe could be seen winking in and out of existence in her limp right hand.

Then within an instant, everything disappeared in the timespan of a breath. Everyone watched wide eyed as an elderly woman, stepped up seemingly out of nowhere, and placed her hand on the perspiring female's shoulder.

"Sakura," Koharu's voice pulled her back to her senses.

The green film over her eyes melted away, the orbs returning to normalcy. She murmured listlessly as fatigue began to consume her, "Koharu."

The elderly woman's sharp blue eyes pierced the shocked Uchiha men whose eyes had long faded back to their usual obsidian hue, "What did you do to her?" Then she looked into Sakura's ashen face, her gnarled fingers brushed the sweaty bangs away from the girl's forehead, "Kami-sama child. I felt that all the way on the other side of town. You still haven't completely matured into your abilties, you need to be careful." The old woman lectured uncaring of their audience, "You scared me. I haven't sensed something like that in -- _decades_."

Sakura clutched at the old woman's gray sleeve, "I'm sorry. I just..." her eyes began to flutter shut. She had never felt so exhausted in her life. Her weight sagged against the elderly female.

Even though Sakura had her face turned away from the Uchihas', the moment Itachi stepped forward in her direction, the girl stiffened and tried to curl away. Koharu lifted her hand, a not so subtle warning to back off, "Give her a minute to adjust. I suspect that you tried to use your sharingan on her!" At their taken aback looks she half snarled, "Yes I know what that is. Her sensitivity to your chakra is too much on her at this time. Forgive this old woman's bluntness but it was rather idiotic on your part to try and feed such malicious chakra into a shaman to bend them to your will. And on top of that, three of you at once!"

The lines around Mikoto's lips firmed suddenly, and she brushed past the men to their surprise. Normally Mikoto was more on the obedient, timid side of the spectrum and so her sudden action shocked them. She said to the old woman, "If you help me get her inside, I'll get her situated more comfortably."

The voices around Sakura started to meld, and the syllables melted into warbled sound. She had felt Itachi's approach, and feeling so weak, it had frightened her. She couldn't protect herself anymore. It had comforted her that Koharu had suddenly showed up out of nowhere. She felt her arms being hoisted around shoulders. And she was moving. Opening her eyes, she could see that she was being taken back into the Uchiha's home. She began to struggle weakly, "No. I don't want to go there."

Koharu reassured her, "It's alright. We're going to take care of you."

Sakura sagged, too tired at this point to argue further. Her body convulsed like a whip had just crashed against her bare skin when the women led her past the three males watching, curious despite themselves. Mikoto ushered them to the back of the house to the guest room. They laid her out flat on top of the bed, on top of the soft green blanket. Koharu removed her boots and socks only to set them off to the corner of the room. She undid the chain that secured the high collar on her neck, and sat down next to her, the bed dipping with her weight.

"Your stubborn pride is going to be the end of you," Koharu gave the younger woman a bittersweet smile.

A hoarse chuckle left Sakura at the woman's words, "You're probably right."

"You finally chose your path." The older woman looked away, ignoring the stranger's presence for the moment.

"Hmm?" Sakura was fighting to stay awake, her head turning on the soft pillow to study the woman's shuttered visage.

"I always figured that the shaman side would eventually win out," Koharu reached to rest on Sakura's hand.

"But, I -- I have to be a shrine warrior. I have to protect," Sakura protested the idea, "the shrine."

The elderly female shook her head, "You went by what you were taught by your father, but your abilities were far from complete. You were always too sensitive to carry the guardian's armor, and weapon. You were always much more comfortable with the voice of the earth. You're chakra chose for you today. When you were desperate to protect yourself, it was the voice of the planet that answered your call, not the blade. I felt it in my bones."

"The blade won't answer me anymore will it?" Sakura was saddened by the prospect. She remembered, the weapon tried to form itself in her hand but couldn't.

The old woman shook her head, "No."

Sakura suddenly felt his presence, and she turned her head to see Itachi standing in the doorway, his hip leaning against the wooden frame. He was eyeing her with an inscrutable expression, before turning his attention to the old woman, "You said you knew nothing about Lady Haruno."

Koharu stiffened, her fingers squeezing Sakura's limp figures, "I lied. This young woman is in fact my great niece. She is the granddaughter of my half brother. I know quite a bit about her, to tell you the truth."

Sakura whispered, unnerved that the woman was being so forward with these people, "What are you doing? I..."

The elderly woman shook her gray head, "No more, Sakura. Lies have only brought you harm."

Mikoto eyed them through wide, luminous eyes, "Who are you people really? Her chakra was not something I've ever experienced in my life. I heard voices." The raven haired woman could barely repress a shudder at the memory.

"Don't tell them," Sakura argued hoarsely, fearful of the outcome.

"Do not worry," the old woman told her in a soothing voice, "It will be fine. After all, you are marrying into this clan are you not? Marriage is as much of a communion of the soul as it is of physical flesh. It would be impossible to keep it secret your entire life. Especially since your chosen is a shinobi. It wouldn't take him long to figure out which of that you struggled to keep hidden."

Sakura struggled to sit up. But Utatane pressed a hand against her shoulder and gently forced her to lay down. The shaman wanted to scream at the futility of it all.

Koharu sighed softly, "I really do not know where to begin. Our cultures are as different as night is to day."

Itachi shut the door behind him and he glanced at his mother, whose face was drawn, pale, and slightly fearful. He suddenly voiced, "Mother, perhaps you should go to father."

Mikoto shot her son a sharp look, "I'm fine. I want to remain here and hear Utatane-sama out just as much as you do."

Koharu threw back her head and laughed at the other woman's outburst, "Indeed. You should very well want to know about the woman your son is going to marry."

The black haired female dipped her head in agreement, while folding her hands against her apron. Koharu scooted over, to make room on the bed for the middle-aged woman. At first Mikoto was relunctant but she finally sat down.

"Now that, that is settled, I will start at the beginning. Keep in mind, that this is a legend that was passed down through word of mouth, so take it with a grain of salt. I have no idea how much truth it holds," Koharu said softly. She was reluctant to reveal this to outsiders, but she would rather guarantee Sakura's safety over a few family secrets. She highly doubted they'd believe it, and would probably chalk it down to religious nonsense. Few knew anything of the Bijuu anymore, and she didn't think any would bother to seek her great-niece in an attempt to take advantage of this unknown power.

Sakura startled them all by speaking, her tone scratchy at first, but as she spoke the sound smoothed out and grew stronger, "It was about a thousand years in the past. Humans united as one to protect their future against invaders of a great unknown power. Of what origin these beings hail from, we do not know, as it's been forgotten as it's been passed down to each new generation. They wanted the land all for themselves, and so set out to destroy all of humanity to achieve this end. My people, those I am descended from were of the first to be born with the natural ability to use chakra. They communed with the earth, and it was understood that the spirits of the world beyond where our physical eyes could see, was the true energy that sustained all life. Others knew of my people, and so during a time of great need, they came to beg them to help save the world from our mutual enemies. The shaman made a blood pact with the Bijuu, the great nine guardian spirits were released. Their power washed over the land, wiping away all vestiges of those who sought to annihilate us all. But it was soon discovered that a problem resulted from our actions. The gate between worlds was broken by our despair. During this time, all those who were subjected to even very presence of the Bijuu, had the power of chakra born with in them -- so great was their power. Thus, those of the shinobi way were birthed from the ashes of victory. Once humans realized this, they sought the Bijuu for themselves. To protect the balance against those who were blinded by the lust for power, and ignorance. Our people, built a new gateway and sealed the old. They gave up their spirits, and followed the Bijuu to the other side. Only a few families remained behind to guard the sacred gate."

Koharu smiled down at the pink haired woman proud that her niece had the courage to face each new change, "It is as she says. This city was founded for that very purpose. Sakura solely continues to protect her heritage, and follows in the way of her ancestors."

"But what about that chakra?" Mikoto wrung her hands together, still uneasy from the memory of it, "It was so unusual. It felt so odd."

"That was her utilizing her abilities as a shaman. It's nothing to be alarmed about. It does feel odd to the senses of a shinobi, but that's because whereas chakra was born within those of shinobi descent out of the desire to destroy. Hers was born out of the desire to protect."

"When I met her, during our initial visit about the merging of our alliances. She attacked us," Itachi stated without inflection and to the alarm of his already unsettled mother.

"At that time, her abilities hadn't matured. She has always believed that she was a shrine warrior and so she would mimic what she'd seen her father do – but," Koharu paused a moment to think about how to word this for someone who had no idea about the culture of their homeland, "Today when you tried to make her bend to your will, she didn't react the same way as the first time you met her did she? In her panic to protect herself from the unknown, her true abilities finally surfaced. She is a shaman, just as her mother before her was. Just as it takes your clan awhile to mature before you are able to use the sharingan, so as it is for her. But the difference is, she comes from two distinctly powerful bloodlines. Her chakra pathways had to eventually choose. This is the thing that you witnessed today."

"Isn't she a little too old for such a thing?" Itachi recalled that he was able to summon the sharingan early in his life, as a child. The same went for most of his kin.

"Normally this would be a correct assumption. But her parents weren't around to teach her anything. She had to come to it in a more natural way on her own. Until the shinobi merged with our society, she had never had to utilize her abilities, except for ceremonial rites," Koharu eyed him through half-lidded eyes.

"Wouldn't you have taught her these things?" Mikoto suddenly voiced, her mind still spinning from all the new information from the old woman. She'd never heard of such a legend. She chalked it down to religious babble and could honestly care less. What did concern her however, was the safety of her son.

"She didn't know of our relation until three days ago," the old woman admitted with a careless shrug.

"I told you that I had no family because," Sakura murmured, her voice a husky whisper, "I wasn't sure if she wanted to claim the relation. I myself, didn't know of the legend until the other day in all honesty."

"If that's the case, then why would you continue to protect something that you didn't even understand?" Itachi found this the hardest to believe of all. That was the epitome of blind loyalty. He didn't know whether to admire her tenacity, or to shake his head at her stubbornness.

"Just as you cannot deny your heritage. I cannot deny mine," she responded simply. She shut her eyes a moment before continuing on, "My parents gave up their lives to protect it. Even though I didn't understand, I just knew that it had to be important. Otherwise why would they have bothered to sacrifice something so precious? I was too young to comprehend, I suppose. It was something that I felt to the very depths of my soul. That's why I fought so hard to keep everyone out. It was something better forgotten with the changing times. I planned to take it to my grave but you just had to stick your nose into my business Uchiha-sama."

The slight tinge of humor to her tired voice was out of place, but yet it was her way of coping with things it seemed, Itachi realized. It was the same with her sarcasm, she had used it as a shield to keep the world out. Her simplicity was her complexity. When he looked at her again, her eyes were closed, and her chest was rising and falling gently with slumber. She had finally given in to her exhaustion.

Koharu then, began to speak in a low stern tone, "I realize that our ideals are dated, and that it may seem ridiculous and much too fanciful to believe. I understand, because I feel the same way. That's why I'm not maintaining the shrine along with Lady Haruno. However, there are people out there, that still think that there's truth in those old tales. If they learn of Sakura's existence, they may come to seek her out – for whatever nefarious reasons. So be wise, about whom you repeat what you've learned to. You may wish to run off and tell the Hokage of what you gleaned from us, and I know that it's not within my will to stop you from doing so, but before you do, at least think about my warning thoroughly. And with that said." the old woman's bones creaked as she stood to her feet, her gnarled fingers smoothed out the wrinkles in her gray skirt, "Do you still wish to marry Lady Haruno, Uchiha-sama? I believe since you have learned of the truth, you are probably no longer bound to keep the engagement if you do not desire to do so."

"Even though the tale you spoken sounds more like a children's bedtime story than a true historical recount, I do believe that every myth has a grain of accuracy to it. Also, I understand the nature of the warning that you've given me concerning the possibility of someone attacking her over it," he paused, his obsidian eyes serious as he eyed the old woman, his shoulders squared with his innate Uchiha pride, "I do not think that this is something that needs to be reported to the Hokage at this time, as it poses no real danger. As for the marriage contract, I've already given my word. I see no reason to pull myself from the agreement. Unless Sakura wishes to go public with her ideals, so that she can break free of the obligation."

Mikoto was eyeing her son silently, surprised that he would want to continue to go through with it. After all, she knew that her husband wouldn't hold it against his oldest son if he chose to refuse to marry the strange girl. She however, got the feeling that it was more than just a measure of honor for her son. On some level, he was taken with her, it seemed. Though he probably didn't quite realize the extent of it yet.

Koharu's blue orbs met his onyx ones, and then after a moment, after finding whatever it was she was looking for she chuckled and shook her head, "Intrigued with her Uchiha-sama?" she glanced over shoulder at the sleeping girl, her visage softening perceptibly, "It's probably just as well that it turned out this way. It's a relief for this old woman to know that Sakura isn't going to continue to be alone." Then she nodded politely at Mikoto, "Thank you for your hospitality. I'm sorry for intruding on you so abruptly."

The raven haired woman shook her head, "Not at all. I'm glad that things turned out fine in the end. I feel it's better for my son to know these things, and for Lady Haruno to be willing to accept him as a future husband, rather than an outsider barging in on her life. Though," her brown eyes went to trace over Sakura, "she may not feel that way at first."

The old woman nodded in understanding before hobbling out the door. Once Koharu was gone, she glanced up into her son's face, "Are you really certain about this Itachi? You will be tying yourself to this woman for the rest of your life. When you finally figure out whatever it is that intrigues you about her, what then?"

Her eldest son merely looked down into her face. His expression was as inscrutable as ever, his feelings a complete mystery to her as they had always been. He pivoted sharply on his heel and quit the room. Mikoto wondered if his unresponsiveness was because he wasn't certain of the answer himself. With a soft sigh, she shut the door behind her, to follow after her somber son. She hoped that in the end, everything would work itself. Marriages have been built on less, she consoled herself with. With that in mind, she put it from her thoughts, as she went out to seek her husband, to fill in some of the blanks of the questions he was bound to have.

**-o-**

**A/N:** Okay for those of you who may be scratching their heads at this new development -- think of it this way. Just as someone of the Uchiha clan eventually has their sharingan activated, and it varies for each person. Sakura though not shinobi, had to go through a similiar process. She just didn't have any information pertaining to it, as she was so young when here parents died. Don't worry, she's not going to be all OP. She was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, only doing what she seen her parents do (just not very well) -- the only difference is now, her chakra pathways finally matured. Nothing else. There will be more on it later, in the oncoming chapters. Thanks again. Reviews are much loved btw. It will spur me on to get the chapters posted faster. Yes, I am shameless dammit! I love you all! Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Here we are again. Chapter 5. I'm warning you however, that chapter 7 is as far I got. After I get what I have finished posted, then posts will slow down. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my other stories. Really, I just made the decision to post what I do have of this story up. I'm glad people like it though it's really a very out in the left field take on the Naruto'verse. I guess I tend to do that – as it is anyway.,

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to Naruto. Can you imagine if I did? A very scary thought indeed.

**Chapter 5**

It was an odd sensation to wake up, and to know someone was staring at you to say the least. But that was exactly what Sakura found herself subjected to that morning. She put her hand to her temple, trying to ward off the slight headache. Her clothes were rumpled and she knew that looked like she'd literally been through hell. Eyeing the male with more than just slight trepidation as her memories from the day before filled her still groggy brain. She flipped her legs out over the side of her bed, and braced her hands on the edge, "Have you been here long?" The idea of being stared at while she slept, especially by him was an unnerving thought to the woman.

He shook his head in the negative. He cleared his throat before replying, "No I haven't. I am here because I want to speak with you privately and this was the best way to do so."

Sakura dipped her head in understanding. She was still a little shaken to wake up and find him there. Her voice was surprisingly level, "I see. However, would you be all right with rescheduling? I really should go home to check up on things."

"If you are concerned about your cat, then I should inform you that I went to take care of her feeding," the corner of his lip twisted sardonically as he continued with a momentary glimmer of amusement in his dark eyes, "It seems that you were correct. She seems to prefer tuna over human souls."

A deep red blush tinted the pink haired woman's face even as she tried to hide her shock that the prideful nin had not only fed her cat but was also teasing her. He had a sense of humor. Who would have thought? She flashed back, the bridge of her nose painted red, "Hey! That was the best thing I could think of at that moment."

His mouth twitched but he didn't further comment, instead, his face slipped into its usual somber mask. He deftly changed the subject, "In light of yesterday's events, I thought it'd be best to speak to you directly, before I went to report to the Hokage as we hadn't made a decision as of yet."

"I thought I told you..." Sakura bit out heatedly only to be interrupted.

"Yes I remember what you said quite well. However you do realize that you are in a sense, free to break the engagement at this time provided you repeat the same thing we discussed with your great aunt to the Hokage," he explained coolly. His posture was nonchalant as he leaned back in the chair.

She hadn't even thought of that. Taken aback by his blunt explanation, she realized there was more to his words than what he was saying directly. She held up a hand while trying to make sense of what he had just said. "Wait? Are you telling me I have a choice?" Her teeth tugged at her bottom lip. "Now that you say that --" Her eyes were full of disbelief as she added blithely still wary of his intentions, "Shouldn't you have run straight to the Hokage to report your findings?"

"After your beliefs were finally revealed yesterday, I realized after thinking it over thoroughly -- that they are not a threat at this time to Konohagakure," He explained to her watching the lines around her eyes crinkle with confusion, "As such I feel that the decision should be yours."

Sakura knew she looked ridiculous but she couldn't help but gape at him, her eyes goggling, "Are you telling me that you really do want to marry me?" The idea made her dizzy with nervousness.

"I am not adverse to the idea."

The pink haired female's thoughts were whirling wildly after that conjecture. She put her fingers to the bridge of her nose, "I can't believe that you are serious."

"However," he leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees, his obsidian eyes hard on her face, "I will give you a warning concerning this subject. If I ever come to believe that there is anything that I perceive as a risk, then I will go to the Hokage to report it immediately."

"So you're saying that I may or may not depending on the circumstances, will have the choice to keep a lid on the information given out yesterday?" Sakura sighed softly, "And what about your mother? She was present for the whole exchange from what I can remember."

"She has agreed to leave the whole affair in my hands, and to do with it as I see fit," at Sakura's incredulous look he added, "I am not using this as a means of forcing you to do something you do not wish to do. I am laying it all out, so that you can come to a decision on your own."

"Why?" Sakura still couldn't wrap her brain around the idea that this man, a near stranger, would even allow her the consideration. He had within the time frame she had known him, threatened, manhandled, and most recently had tried to subdue her in a less then gentle manner. She couldn't believe that there wasn't some hidden purpose behind his motive.

He didn't respond to the plaintive note in her voice. He just gave her a look that said, I've already explained this to you once. Swallowing hard, she asked, "I don't have much time to think about it do I?"

Itachi shook his head, his lips turning into a slight frown, "The Hokage wants me to report to him this morning. If I asked for an extension, he will wonder why I would make such a request on something that to his knowledge has already been decided."

Sakura nodded to show that she understood.

"Yesterday during the meeting, you extended the marriage agreement to everyone in the room because in your own words - you didn't want to force a decision on someone who had qualms about it," he suddenly interjected into the heavy thought laden silence between them, "I stepped forward, and agreed because -- I was already fully prepared to accept everything. Including the fact, that I knew you had no intention of being completely honest with me about yourself. I am not saying it was because I am a kind and benevolent man," the signs of a dark smirk was slowly forming on his lips, "Now that I have been able to come to a better understanding about you Lady Haruno, I find that I still feel the same way. However I want you to be able to say the same for yourself."

"Are you cracked?" She quipped caustically, while tapping a forefinger against the side of her head, in a telltale gesture, "No I mean seriously," she lifted her wrist to show him the nearly faded bruising, "I have a hard time believing all that."

"I just admitted that I am not a kind, nor a benevolent man," he reminded her coolly.

Rolling her eyes expressively at him, "No, you're arrogant, and rather pompous."

"I believe the pompous title belongs to the Hyuuga clan," He arched a regal brow at her.

Sakura coughed, covering the laugh that surfaced with the palm of her hand. Sobering she nodded, "I'll give you that," and then she folded her arms, "Well after such a romantic exhortation, I'm finding it hard to make a decision."

"It is too early in the day to be subjected to your sarcasm woman." He laced his arms across his chest. He leaned his back against the seat his dark visceral eyes never leaving her face.

"Fine, fine," She huffed dramatically. She lifted her hands off the edge for the bed before scooting backwards. Her ponytail squished against the wall as she stared up at the ceiling as if looking for answers, "You're serious, then?"

"Yes."

"What would you gain from my agreement?" Sakura just couldn't believe that he really meant what he said. She knew he was being honest, it was just hard for the young woman to accept it at face value.

He remained silent. Sakura could tell he was losing patience with her. His face didn't give it away, but the stiff stature of his shoulders, and the firm set of his jaw clued her in.

She began to fidget. After yesterday, she wondered if it would really hurt to tell the Hokage what he wanted to know and be done with it. If someone should come looking for her one day concerning the shrine, then the Sandaime would find out. Itachi would inform him because then it would have become the village's problem. There was a distinct possibility that the Hokage would make her marry someone from the shinobi class, even after hearing what she had to say -- if only so the old man could feel that he could keep her in check. Her thoughts then went back to Itachi. She couldn't help but contemplate what it was that he could possibly gain from all this. She knew there was more to this situation than met the eye. His clan would have first access to her. Perhaps, he saw her as a potential political advantage in the future because of her unique abilities. Or it could simply that he wanted to keep an eye on her firsthand, so that he could figure her out himself, on his own time. Just like one of those exotic puzzle boxes that hail from the eastern lands. The night he had threatened her was still vivid in her memory. She could still almost feel the cold kunai point, touching her pulse point. Her hand went to her neck in morbid reflex.

Verdant eyes narrowed on him, "You are a shrewd man Uchiha," she slid forward to the edge of the bed, and braced her hands on the side, squeezing the green coverlet with tense fingers. "I wonder -- if it would serve your purpose just as well, if I at least married into your clan. You're brother instead maybe? A cousin perhaps? Just as long as I'm in reaching distance. You already know that the old man, even if I told him everything would probably force me to marry -- so that I would remain right here..." Sakura then pressed her thumb and squished it down against the cotton blanket, giving a visual effect to her words. She stood to her feet, slowly straightening her frame. She clasped her hands behind her back and strode over to the seemingly lax male, stopping directly in front of him. She noticed his expression remained ever unchanging. Frowning she put a finger to her cheek as if thinking over what was going through her mind, "It would be beneficial to you _Uchiha-sama_, at least for the present time, to keep what you've learned so far a secret -- wouldn't it?"

Suddenly he was on his feet and towering over her. She wondered if he was trying to intimidate her with his size. She openly glared at him and stood her ground. Her eyes widened when his arm snaked out, a black haze in her peripheral. She felt his deft fingers wrap around the nape of her neck, the digits smoothing out against her skin. The strength of her gaze faltered in confusion, her emerald orbs searching his shuttered face. Sakura could feel the warmth of his breath fanning against her epidermis. The pink haired female had never been so hyper aware of another human being in all her life. Although he did not move in any closer, and she could wriggle out from his loose grasp at any time, she found herself hypnotized by the sudden strength of his presence.

"A wolf hidden in a man's skin," Sakura murmured breathlessly, despite herself, "That's what you are."

The smirk was back, but this time the self-satisfied masculine edge to it alarmed her. She was suddenly awash in the scent of rainwater and her nostrils flared in reaction. He bent down, his free hand rose, and his thumb came to rest on her chin. Slowly he lifted her face further upwards. Sakura's lips gaped opened slightly, taken aback by the contact. His gaze roamed over her face and she knew he was gauging her reaction to him. Then, his head slanted, his mouth covered hers in a chaste kiss. The pressure against her lips wasn't out to dominate, instead she could almost feel the challenge and a dark promise beneath the slight pressure. It lasted only for a moment. He removed his hand from her neck and when he spoke. The tone of his tenor held a slightly raspy lilt, "All I have asked you for is a yes, or a no. Sakura."

This was it, Sakura realized. Her hand went to her lips, feeling the warmth he'd left behind. Her green eyes were still wide with the shock of the sudden intimacy. He was telling her without words, that once she decided, he would not ask again. Frustration nipped at her insides. She couldn't understand this man. He had not accepted or denied her accusations. He was leaving it as is. He was laying down the gauntlet and giving her the choice of whether to pick it up, or to forever let it lie. Her pride bristled at the thought of balking, and ignoring what was placed before her. Her eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what he was doing. It was being deliberately laid out in such a way that would make her feel like a coward if she refused.

Dipping her chin, her eyes were shadowed with thought, "You're a bastard you know that?" Her lip curled with self recrimination and then lifting her chin she gave her decision, the strength that laced her voice never wavering for a moment, "For better or worse Uchiha-sama, I accept," Pausing to take a breath, her green eyes grew as hard as flint before she announced to him in an unrelenting tone, "I will never allow you to control me. I won't let anyone do that. Even in the end if it should cost me my life," and then she chuckled sourly, "I suppose if I have to dine at the devil's table, I better ask for a longer spoon. I hope you're prepared Uchiha-sama."

He nodded at her, pivoting on his heel to leave the room. He glanced over his shoulder back at her, his ponytail sliding over the black material of his shirt, "I expected no less from you, Lady Haruno." And then he shut the door behind him leaving her standing there, staring after his wake.

Sakura sighed, crossing her arms. His presence had the ability to dwarf a room and now that he was gone, she felt oddly out of place. She turned to straighten the bed, and to settle the covers back properly before grabbing up her socks and boots. She wouldn't be so rude as to wear them through their house. She knew she looked like something the cat dragged in and so she avoided looking at the mirror that sat on the dark oak dresser. She smiled slightly when she recalled that Itachi mentioned that he had gone and fed her cat. She could almost imagine her cat's confused face, as the strange male offered her a can of tuna. She knew Hana wouldn't have contemplated it too long, before devouring her breakfast, regardless of where it came from.

The household was eerily quiet. She wondered if she could walk through the Uchiha district freely without someone trying to stop her from leaving. She knew that her little stand off with Itachi, Fugaku, and Sasuke had drawn a lot of attention. It was actually a relief to leave the house without having to talk to anyone. Perhaps Mikoto had gone out to shop, or some other errand. Either way, Sakura wasn't about to wait around for them to return home. At the door, she quickly put on her socks and boots. It was still early enough in the morning that there weren't too many people out and about. Sakura took advantage of that, and hastily made her way out of the Uchiha compound. It was all she could do, to not sigh in relief once she was on the otherside of the half built wall. She immediately headed straight up the hill to her house.

Hana was waiting for her on the porch, and Sakura patted the cat's head.

Suddenly a very, feminine and soft female voice said dourly, "About time you got home."

Green eyes widened, and Sakura whipped around, looking for the owner of the strange voice. What in the hell? Did someone sneak onto her property while she was away? If that was the case, she'd make the intruder sorry.

Sakura froze when a paw touched her arm. She looked down at Hana, her eyes widening. No, that was impossible. Her cat was not talking to her. Being around those Uchihas' for so long had warped her brain. She shut her eyes and shook her head at her silliness. But then, the cat tapped the pad of her paw against her elbow, "Hey. I'm talking to you, you know."

Backing away from the feline rapidly, Sakura's left heel caught on a loose board and she promptly fell on her butt. She watched with wide shocked eyes as Hana hopped down to sit next to her, "It's about damn time your chakra finally matured. I always believed that you'd be a shaman. Of course I started to doubt it, when you'd practice with the Guardian's Armor. You were always such an aggressive little thing. But I can see you've finally come into your own."

"You -- you can talk?" Sakura's choked out.

Her cat's eyes fell into half slits as she appraised the pink haired woman, "I suppose it can't be helped. You're parents died when you were still so young."

Sakura rose to her feet, and then opened the door to her house. She felt ridiculous talking to Hana, and actually have her responding back, but she decided that she was taking this conversation inside. "So how come do you suddenly decide to talk to me now? I mean, after all these years you've..."

"I've always talked to you. You've only just gained the ability to understand me," Hana followed her in, tail twitching, "Your mother was able to comprehend what I was saying to her, but your father never could. He used to hate that."

Now that she thought about it, Hana had been around as long as she could remember. If she'd been a normal cat, then she should look far older. Sakura had grown so used to her presence, that she'd never really questioned it. She had always just been there. Hana to her had always, just been Hana.

"I see," Sakura sat down on the couch, watching the feline as she jumped up onto the low sitting table, "It's because my chakra finally matured. If it had chosen the path of a shrine warrior, then, I would have never come to understand you."

"That is correct. Unfortunately because it's taken you so long to mature, you have a lot of training to catch up on," Hana's gold eyes went half mast, "and it's going to prove even harder with that shinobi man around."

"We'll have time," Sakura waved a dismissive hand at the cat, "He'll be sent out on missions, and won't be around to interrupt."

"You're taking this a lot better than I thought you would," Hana voiced pointedly.

"After what I've been through since these nin moved into town. This is just the icing on the cake," Sakura waved a hand at the cat in a nonchalant, "My life has been turned upside down, kicked around, and shaken for good measure. I'm just finding myself fortunate they aren't going to make me move from the shrine." The woman took the tie out of her hair and leaned back against the sofa, "And just how am I going to catch up on my training? I'm the last one. I can tell that Koharu knows things, but I don't think she wants to tell me the rest of what she knows."

"Her abilities aren't complete," Hana jumped onto the couch, and then laid down next to the shaman, "But that's of little matter. That's what I'm here for after all. It's a shame this didn't happen sooner. You would have been able to shield off the area, and the shinobi would have been none the wiser about the ceremonial rites you performed. No use crying over spilled milk, I suppose."

Sakura stiffened in her seat and looked down at the lounging feline, "Wait? You mean that you can teach me."

"Of course," the cat eyed her with a sardonic expression, "Who do you think trained your mother? Your grandfather? Your great-grandmother? And so on and so forth."

"Just how long have you been around?"

"That's another tale for another day," Hana replied mysteriously and then, "First of all, do you even understand what a shaman is beyond the title?"

"No," Sakura shook her head. She really had no clue.

"You are simply put, someone who can speak with the spirits of the elements. A medium of sorts," Hana dipped her triangular shaped head, her whiskers twitching, "You're descended from those who were the first to contact the Guardians."

Sakura thought about the chakra that had come from the ground to protect her, and the voices that followed. Were those the voices of the elements? She had always thought that they were from ghosts. It was just nearly too much for the young woman. She suddenly stood up and started to walk to her room, "I need time Hana to let this all settle down in my mind. I've had so much in my life that I've just had to learn to accept quickly and move on lately, that it's getting just that much more difficult to take in. I'm going to take a bath, do a few normal things that I have done daily since I can remember. Then, I will sit down and discuss this all on a deeper level with you."

Hana didn't respond to this, she only watched Sakura walk to her room, a droop in the set of her shoulders.

Grabbing her things, she quickly went and did just that. She sat in the hot water until her skin began to redden and wrinkle. She was reluctant to get out but, she forced herself to get back into a more normalized pattern. Sakura dressed into her clothes that she often wore to her part time job. She hummed while she pulled up the weeds around the steps, even though her heart wasn't in it. She felt Hana's eyes on her as she swept the wrap around porch. She even sang, "Oh tanuki, Shukaku, lord of the wind. Good fortune blows in with the breath of Zephyr. The night has gone, Nekomata, and the silver eye of the moon, whom watches over the souls of the living rests in slumber. Oh Isonade, the fisherman prays for your rain, drawing their catch to the surface of your blue waters..."

"You done wallowing in self-pity yet?" Hana asked her, her tail swishing back forth, as she sat on the rail.

Sakura glared at the feline before snapping testily, "I am not wallowing in self-pity, as you so rudely put it! I'm doing my chores."

"How much time do we have before that man moves in?" The black as midnight feline queried before licking her paw ignoring Sakura's outburst.

Thrown off guard by the blunt question, Sakura put a finger to her lower lip. "I'm not sure, honestly."

Hana coughed settling her paw back into its original resting position before bristling irritably, "What do you mean you're not sure? You agreed to be his mate or to marry him, or whatever it is you humans do."

"That I did. He's going to set the date with the Hokage today. I'll have to wait until he informs me of what he decided," Sakura put the finger to her chin, but then shrugged nonchalantly.

"You're an odd woman. Don't you care?" Hana tilted her head at her, "I'm surprised you picked that one. You should have picked the blond. He wouldn't have been nearly as bothersome as this one will prove to be."

"Of course I care but," Sakura sighed, "It's not something I had a choice in to start with. Whether I marry the man tomorrow or six months down the road, it's not going to make much of a difference. He's going to be apart of my life no matter if I want it or not. But of the four, I have come to believe he would suit me the best. Naruto is scared of me, he still thinks I'm a witch. Neji really didn't want to agree in the first place but did out of family duty, which I can't really blame him. We hardly know each other. And Sasuke -- I'd probably strangle him after a week. He has an arrogance about him and don't get me wrong, it seems to be an inborn Uchiha trait -- but every time I've been around him, he just seemed to look right through me."

"Yes but the one you chose, he was the one that attacked you just a little less than a week ago isn't he?" Hana asked, a thoughtful edge to her voice.

"The same one," Sakura sat down on the steps and put her chin on her knees, "But, it was because he thought that I was dangerous to the merging of Konoha and Ixion. After all I did attack him when I first met him myself," she laughed lightly at the memory but then sobered immediately afterward, "Though it's still not something I'm happy about. But lately, I've just had to learn how to accept what comes my way and move on. _Quickly_."

"We're going to have to be cautious around that man. He's a shrewd one." Hana sighed, stretching her furry body and shaking her head. She refocused on Sakura. Her eyes narrowed as she added, "There's a sharp edge to his chakra that makes me just a bit uneasy."

"Tell me about it," Sakura muttered under her breath. She had the stuff fed into her by three people yesterday. That had been an unpleasant experience.

"I hate to do this to you so soon, but I think we'll have to cover some things that would have been better to wait on," Hana sighed and then, "Since the amount of time of privacy that you'll have, may be very limited."

Sakura eyed the cat furtively. She smirked at the cat, while running a hand through her pink tresses, "So you're not even going to give me time to adjust? I just learned that you can talk today. Yesterday I still had no idea about my chakra maturing, or that it could even do that."

"If your parents hadn't died," Hana explained softly, "you probably would have come to full maturation by the age of thirteen. These nin, sort of forced you into it unknowingly. You never had a real need to use it, so it seems that it just laid dormant within you until such a time came, that you needed it."

"Yesterday, the Uchihas' attempted to subdue me with something they call the sharingan," Sakura laced her fingers together, and set her hands on her knees, "I just -- I didn't want to succumb to their will with every fiber of my being. And that's when the change happened. It was," she was at a loss for words about the sensation, "I didn't have to feel like I was alone, even though there was three on one. I was embraced, and then I heard voices. I thought at first they were ghosts of my ancestors or something."

"No. You didn't understand them did you?" Hana dipped her nose slightly to pin the shaman with a thoughtful look. Sakura shook her head in the negative and then went on, "Those were elemental spirits. They're language is like no other. Most humans cannot understand them, but this is where you are different than other people, you have the innate ability to be able comprehend them. They were merely responding to your emotions. You seen the different colored chakra strands no?"

"Yes," Sakura thought back to the occurrence, "But how would I be able to do something like that? Wouldn't that take me years to learn?"

The cat hopped down, "No. It's something that has to be granted to you. It's apart of your birthright. Normally, you would undergo some instruction first, but, with the circumstances being what they are. I believe that you will need to be prepared for the near future," she passed Sakura, stopping to stand on the stone at the edge of the steps, "Call it premonition."

Sakura stood to her feet, realizing Hana wanted her to follow. The feline led her straight up the hill to the apex, where she performed her clan's rites. During the light of afternoon, it felt a little odd to be up there. She did check it out every once in a while to do maintenance, but those times were rare. Hana sat on her haunches, her tail swishing back and forth. Her brilliant gem-hued eyes searched the pink haired woman's face, "Before I can properly teach you anything, there is a ritual that you must complete alone. I apologize that I didn't have more time to mentally prepare you for this, but I believe you can handle it."

Sakura raised a hand and flicked her wrist in a dismissive gesture, "I'm getting used to learning to cope on the fly." Even though she said this, her heart squeezed in fear of the unknown.

Hana merely dipped her head in response, her whiskers bobbing with the movement. The cat then proceeded to step over the stones in a pattern Sakura couldn't keep up with. Every so often the cat would pause, and the corresponding tile beneath her padded feet would flare, and a rune would glow either, white, blue, yellow, or red. Finally, Hana paused and then glanced at Sakura. The young shaman let out a soft gasp of surprise when the ground beneath her feet began to rumble, and the loose stones on the surface of the platform danced and skittered across, tumbling into the overgrown grass.

She turned her head towards the sound of grinding stone and mortar. Sakura's eyes widened as the center of the dais shook, the runes glowing, blazing bright like the colorful fires that lit the pillars during that spring night not so long ago. Suddenly, a rectangular shaped slab lifted slightly and slid back revealing an entrance. Sakura gulped, "I never knew that was there."

"Of course you didn't," Hana stated with a huff before walking to the edge of the darkened stairwell, and with a quick glance back at the woman, "Come, let us make haste."

Wordlessly Sakura traversed behind the feline. She was unable to hold back the flinch that froze her muscles when the door to the underground passage shut behind her and she was bathed in pure and utter darkness. Her heart began to pound, and sweat dotted her temples.

Hana's voice reached her ears, and calmed her fear, "Trust me." And as soon as the last syllable faded, a sconce lit. The cat was sitting on the stone step, her amber eyes glittering like forbidden jewels, the fire's shadow dancing over her small form, "It is a bit of a ways down."

The two continued on in silence, and with each torch they passed lit when the feline strode past. On and on, they traipsed down the seemingly endless spiral of stone. Sakura rubbed her bare arms, goosebumps rising against the rising chill. She wished that Hana would have warned her, so that she could have donned her robes instead. She halted at the bottom step, her green eyes watching as the cat went to stand in the center of the room. Sakura stepped down, and glanced around herself. The room was small and square, not much bigger then the living room of her home. At the far end, were two torches lit, and in the center of them, was her family crest. The Haruno symbol. A simple circle. She moved towards it, and her bare fingers traced over the gritty surface of the emblem

"The eternal circle. The connection of all life," she whispered softly and then turned to face the cat.

"Indeed. At least your mother taught you that much," Hana raised a paw and pointed it at the thoughtful young woman, "I understand that due to yesterday's _activities_. You used quite a bit of chakra, which is to be expected since it was forced to mature under pressure. You haven't had full time to recover, but this will not matter so much," the feline paused, her small sides heaving with a large sigh, "What is important is your state of mind. Remember this, for this is all that is important. Sakura, you have to come to be at peace with yourself, as you are now. I know is a lot to ask you, especially at this turbulent time in your life. However -- remember the pride of your ancestors, and the burden and gift you were chosen to bear. You will either choose to accept, or you will decide to walk away."

Sakura arched a brow at the cryptic words, "I have always embraced my inheritance."

Hana shook her head, "Maintaining the shrine in the waning shadows left by your parents is one thing," her whiskers bobbed as she spoke, "But it's time Sakura Haruno that you come to stand on your own two feet. For your people understood the delicate balance of life and aided those who protected the Guardians of the Earth. The Bijuu as you know them. You may choose to stand with them to continue protect life, or you may not. The Bijuu protect the leylines of their Guardian masters' whose true names have been forgotten with the passage of time. The energy of all living things. The gate you know of, is merely the boundary that connects all. You, as a shaman, are the medium that connects humanity with the roots of life and that of the elemental spirits," Hana shut her eyes, "It is truly a heavy burden to bear. Though there are others in the world like you, that still exist, you are alone. So, even should you decide that you do not wish to carry the weight on your shoulders. The cycle will always continue."

"Is such a thing still needed?" Sakura asked softly. The words that tasted of old world knowledge, danced in circles in the recesses of her mind. "It seems that the only thing that I've really done, is merely kept the forged bond with the Bijuu." Somehow that realization depressed the young woman. She had fought hard to maintain her rights to exist as her clan had always done. In the end, she hadn't really protected anything.

"If the Guardians have continued to bestow the chosen gifts upon your bloodline," Hana explained gravely, "Then there was always a purpose to that of all that you have done. It may not seem like it now, but in time, it will eventually reveal itself."

Shutting her eyes, and ducking her chin Sakura mulled over the exchanged words thoughtfully. She murmured softly, "So what is it that I'm supposed to do?"

Hana stepped away putting distance between them before explaining, "All you need to do is place your hand in the center of the circle. Yesterday when you called the aid of the earth spirits. You were communicating with them. Remember that feeling. You must ask for the right of passage. Once through, let your intuition guide you."

Sakura tilted her head at the feline, soaking in the information. She splayed her palm against the stone, her fingers curving, nails slightly scraping the surface. She recalled that she had acted on pure instinct and emotion. She had wanted to be protected, and the deeper part of herself had even wanted comfort from the fear of the unknown. She knew that she had no idea how to interact with what she encountered yesterday. It had just happened. Shutting her eyes, she leaned her forehead against the cool skin of her hand.

_May I enter? _She thought in her head, to whatever, or whomever may be listening. She tried to extend her emotions, as she did yesterday. For a few minutes there was nothing. Sakura could hear her own breathing, and the slow rhythm of her heart.

In the dark recesses of her mind, a drip of awareness. The ripple spread outward, and her eyes opened as she heard the words clearly in her head. A male voice that was not her own, _Let go of your ego._

_May I enter? _She asked mentally once more, hoping that her thoughts was reaching out.

_Once again, we shall bind ourselves to the ancient bond. Step through, you are welcome, Innocent One, _was spoken to her.

Instinctively she pushed her hand forward and was shocked when the appendage disappeared into the gray. It undulated, the movement much like a stone hitting the surface of still waters.

Hana warned her softly, "Do not lose yourself."

Gulping fearfully, Sakura gathered her courage around her, and closing her green orbs and sucking in a deep and tremulous breath, she stepped into the unknown.

**-o-**

**A/N: **Ooh cliff-hanger. Don't worry. I'll get it out as soon as I get in cleaned up and ready for posting. Also, please forgive me for errors and things I do miss. I do sweep through it countless times, but I still tend to miss things. As always, Arigato.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Wow thanks for the rewiews everyone. And now on with the tale!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Ect ect.

**Chapter 6**

When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing alone in another corridor. The familiar echo of the tinkling bells drew her attention lower. Her gaze arced downwards, tracing the outline of her form, she found that she her regular work clothes were gone, and instead the cranberry colored robes that were so familiar to her had taken their place. She also recognized the adornments strapped around her wrists, were much like the ones she used for the ceremony. Except these were fgold and the bands were gilded silver, decorated with vining saffron hued metal of unknown origin on the delicate bracelet.

Turning around, she craned her neck to glance behind her. She was taken aback when she realized she could see through the wall. It was as clear as crystal glass to her gaze. From her position she could see Hana still sitting where she left her. Curiosity piqued, the young woman went to poke the wall. As soon as she touched it, it rippled and then went completely solid, leaving gray stone in the place of the see through pane. Pivoting to face the empty hall, Sakura noticed colorful tendrils of chakra, in many different hues arcing into view before disappearing back into the ground, only to reappear again. It dawned on her, that they were moving in constant circles.

Squaring her thin shoulders, the young woman began to walk through the corridors with a firm look that the populace of former Ixion had often witnessed whenever she had strode through the village on an errand.

Whispers tickled against the lobes of her ears. Even trying to tune her senses in on the sound, she still could not understand. Strands of chakra wrapped around her, dancing over the exposed epidermis of her hands. The shades of multi-colored energy coiled around her, undulating like the body of a serpent. It was almost like she was being greeted. She couldn't help the small smile tugging at the edges of her lips.

She halted at the entrance of a plain, wooden door. Reaching down, she went to grasp the doorknob. She twisted but it didn't give way. It was locked. Frowning, she noticed the faded symbol of a white flame above the frame. Figuring she had nothing to lose by trying, she extended her hand and called fire to her palm. At first it seemed as if nothing was going to happen, and then the orange bled to silver. She heard a click, and the door opened by itself. Closing her fingers over, to extinguish the flame. Sakura continued onward, her brain still trying to dissect what had just happened.

At the end of the room was a set of stairs. She quickly made her way forward, the sound of her footfalls breaking the stagnant silence. By the time she reached the apex, her breathing had quickened slightly from the exercise. She stopped when she discovered that she had entered what look to be a library. She could see from her angle the many rows of shelves. Books filled them to the brim. Off to her right, there was a small green fire blazing. To her left, a yellow flame, lending the room an eerie light.

Reaching out, her fingers brushed against a binding of a blue book that had for some reason stood out to her. Immediately in her mind she heard the soothing timbre of a woman's voice, _There was a Guardian who chased the tail of a falling star. He came crashing down to earth with the dying embers. Does he still sleep somewhere next to the fallen star? _The young woman snatched her hand back as if she been burned.

After a moment, when nothing appeared to happen, she risked touching the back of the book next to the first one, the same voice brushed against her thoughts again, _Is it because humans do not have wings that they constantly strive to reach the heavens? Will those of the metal flesh break the human spirit? Will we no longer desire to touch that which we dream of reaching?_

Her fingers caressed the adjacent tome, _Courage, is the power to go beyond oneself to protect. Love, sustains the heart it gives one the strength to protect that which is precious. Hope, is the power to believe in the future. _

Stepping away from the shelf, she let her eyes trace the outline of the many wooden cases. The knowledge contained in this one room, Sakura instinctively knew was at the very least, mind boggling at best. She knew that she could easily lose herself here, the desire to touch each and every tome was a feeling she knew she could ill afford. It was almost like a collective conscious of thoughts. Sighing audibly the woman moved passed them all. She quickly made her way to the back of the room towards what she felt was most likely the exit.

The moment she passed over the threshold, the way behind her shut with grinding finality. She was surrounded on all sides by earth, instead of stone walls. The corridor ended fairly abruptly. Sakura was slightly startled when she found herself looking into a very familiar pair of green eyes. She stopped, the heel of her sandals crunching loudly against the gravel. She realized she was staring into a mirror. She took an uncertain step back, when her reflection smirked at her. The cold and cocky look she had so often wore, whenever she wanted to put up barriers to keep everyone out, twisted the visage. It was bizarre to see the image appraise her the same way she had so many people.

Then, it disappeared and her heart clenched like a vice inside the cavity of her chest. When the colors swirled and mingled, forming into the images of her parents. She knew it was them, even though she couldn't quite make out their faces. It was as if she were looking at her own blurred memories reflected in the glass. She recognized the armor, her father had donned, along with the scythe she had tried to emulate. His blond hair was tied at the nape of his neck, by a very familiar green tie. Her mother stood on the right of him, in the exact same outfit Sakura had worn yesterday with arms folded over her chest. The tips of crimson hair visible to Sakura's sight.

The sound of their voices, were almost too much for her. She had never believed she would hear them speak again.

"Our daughter," her father said.

"Yes," her mother responded, and then she added to Sakura's dismay, "It's such a shame she's such a failure."

"We died in vain. She couldn't even keep strangers out of our village," her father sneered, the tone caused her gut to wrench painfully.

Sakura spoke up, wrapped up emotionally by the vision, "I'm sorry. I know I'm weak. I'm so sorry." Her eyes stung and her throat constricted and burned.

"Sorry doesn't cut it now does it?" Her mother bit out frostily, "You were supposed to maintain the shrine in our place. And now, you're going to marry a stranger, whose very presence will stain the honor of which we had always upheld."

"What do you want me to do?" Sakura couldn't help the tears that started to run down her cheeks. Her voice raised a few decibels when she spoke again, "You left me alone! I'm doing my best!"

"Your best is worthless. You should have died an honorable death. You should have fought harder!" Her father's terse tone cut through her emotions like a knife.

She breathed in a sharp intake of air before falling to her hands and knees. The sound of the bells rang hollow in her ears. Her chin jutted up sharply when she heard the sound of her own voice admonishing her, "You only came here, because you felt that it was your duty. You tried to walk the path of mother and father because you believed that was what you were supposed to do. You're nothing but a pathetic hollow shell without your own will. You protect that shrine, because you think that is what they would have wanted of you. You can't leave it, because you are afraid of feeling guilty. You're so pathetic, it makes me sick." Her reflection in the mirror sneered down at her as if she were a worthless bug that should be squashed.

Hana's stark warning suddenly came back to her, _"Don't lose yourself."_

Her fingers scraped against the coarse dirt, and instead of wallowing in self-pity, she steeled her heart against the pain and forced herself to rise to her feet. She refused to be scared to face her own feelings. Tilting her head to the side, Sakura adopted a similar smirk, even as tears trailed unchecked over the dust laden skin, "You're right. I am pathetic. Maybe it started out that way. When mom and dad died, I had nothing else to hold on to them with but the shrine. I felt that whatever they died protecting had to be worth their sacrifice. So I did what I knew how to do. I never knew if it was enough, or if I was really doing everything right or not. But," she splayed her dirt-stained fingers against her chest, "That was my choice. I'm not hollow. It's true that I feel guilty at times for my lack of ability. I couldn't even really fight the shinobi and force them to go away. I've had to continue to adapt to their presence in the village. I tried to fill my father's shoes as a shrine warrior, but I didn't fail at that. It's just not what I was meant to be. And I realize now, that even though that I am a shaman, just like mother was. I have to make my own path in life. I know that now. It's true I didn't before, but that's what life is about. It's learning from your mistakes and moving on. I'll still probably mess up, but..."

She didn't realize her hands were glowing yellow. Folding the appendages into fists. They fell to her sides. She grit her teeth beneath the weight of her feelings. Then, finding something akin to resolve, Sakura drove a solid right hook into the glass. Her chest was heaving with unspent emotion as it shattered into fragments. The broken shards littered the ground around her feet. She wiped the moisture almost violently off of her face, ashamed that she had been reduced to such an emotional mess. Her voice cracked as she finished what she had been saying, "I'll still keep moving forward."

Suddenly, the scenery around her melted away, and she found herself standing alone on a dais. At the front of her, a shadowy form appeared. She couldn't quite make out anything but the shape. It was serpentine in appearance, much like what she imagined a dragon might look like, "To accept one's weakness."

To her right another silhouette formed, the shadow of a large turtle, "Is true strength of the heart."

On her left, the white image of a tiger, stark and vivid against the dull light, "The hardest battle to be fought and won..."

Behind her, a male voice, the one that had invited her into this strange labyrinth spoke, "Is coming to peace with yourself. To accept your strengths and weaknesses equally." The edges of shadow, glowed crimson. A great bird, like that of a phoenix.

"So that was you messing with my mind?" Sakura asked sharply, ashamed that anyone had witnessed her breakdown.

"That was the reflection of the fears buried deep in your own heart. The mirrors only showed you -- yourself," the tortoise replied.

"What is it that you want me to do?" she asked tiredly, she may not have expended much chakra, but this was all exhausting nevertheless.

"It is not what we desire, but that which you seek," the great bird told her.

"I came here to," she extended her arms outward, "find out more about what I am. I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore." Her hands then fell to hang at her sides. What was she here for? She thought belatedly. Perhaps her reflection had been right. Maybe she had only come out of the idea of duty, in and of itself. It really would be much easier to blend into the new Konohagakure. She had believed for so long she'd been protecting some gate, against greedy humans who may try to steal the power of the Bijuu. What exactly had her parents died for? What had their enemies been looking for? Whatever it was, her parents had chosen it over her. She thought of her lofty words to the shinobi and of the legend itself. All that time, she had merely kept a bond with the world beyond that of the human eye. The spirits of the elements responded to her. Yet, what was it all for? If there was no threat. If there was no duty to be fulfilled. Was she merely accepting an empty legacy? The questions spiraled in a dizzying vortex in her mind.

"Your heart is lost in darkness," the dragon spoke to her, drawing her attention back in his direction, "You cannot follow the paths fate has given others. You can only traverse your own."

Sakura's voice echoed loudly, "I do not seek power, just to have it," she crossed her arms as if to shield herself, "All I have is my home to protect. A small plot of land dedicated to lost beliefs," she flicked a wrist causing the bell to tinkle softly, "even the ceremonial rites were merely a continuation of a bonding my parents had with the Bijuu. It was something I didn't understand. I was arrogant in the idea that I was protecting the Bijuu's secrets that I didn't even know or comprehend, and still don't. There is no monster race threatening the existence of mankind anymore. I merely kept watch, if that, over the entrance of the gate that which supposedly connects us all. I'm one person. Am I just needed as a standby, just in case you, Guardians of the Elements need a voice if something does on the off chance arise?"

The great bird responded, "There is always something or someone to protect. It is not an empty bond."

"We cannot choose your path for you," the dragon interjected. "You must come to terms with your own desires. Do you wish to embrace your inborn legacy? Or will you walk away? We have dominion over the sky, earth, and sea. You, human, who can traverse freely through all of these. Do you wish to commune with the earth? Will you be our voice should we need your aid? All these things you must decide."

The shaman put her fingers to the bridge of her nose, and breathed in a deep sigh. "All my life, I've stood apart from other people to protect the legacy of my clan. It's so ingrained into my blood, that even the thought of refusing the bond -- almost physically hurts. I know that even if I choose to walk away now, I would not only regret it, but I will never fit in the way other people do. I cannot live in ignorance. I don't want to be useless. I do not want to be without purpose. I also do not want to be weak -- but -- I do not wish for the power of destruction either."

"The heart of a shaman," the tiger intoned gently, "is a burden and a gift. The hum in your blood will always make you aware of things others will never see, nor understand. Even the shinobi who use borrowed chakra of our protectors, the Bijuu, cannot comprehend that which you always will, no matter the path you choose."

"Are you saying my chakra is a gift of the Guardians, and not the Bijuu?" her sharp mind caught on the vague reference.

"Your kin, was the first to seek us out, during the dawn of the first age. They were the only humans that had the innate ability to speak with us. We gifted them with chakra, and we continued to keep a bond with them through the ages. When the demon race appeared to take over the land, to twist it to their desire, the bonded clans were desperate to protecteverything. We allowed them free sanction, to align with those who protect the gate, the Bijuu. The Bijuu were released into the physical realm, taking on the form of great beasts to fight in the war. It resulted in much sacrifice and blood. Humans who aligned themselves with the shaman and Bijuu were granted power, so that they could aid in the effort against a common enemy. The power given by the Bijuu, that was meant to protect -- eventually twisted into the desire of destruction and the consuming greed to hold dominion over all the land and its occupants, spirit and flesh alike. To return the Bijuu to the gate, to prevent any further unbalance -- many gave up their lives and lent their spiritual power to do so. The chakra of the shaman and even the shrine warrior, stems from the gifts from us Guardians. The shinobi, are those who were gifted power from the Bijuu in the ancient war against the demon race," the tiger explained sagely.

Sakura thought over his words. Really, the legend that her great aunt told her was pretty close to the real thing. Of course, it had been embroidered by human imagination. However, the role of the Bijuu was a bit different than she'd been taught. The hierarchy of the spirit world wasn't something that she readily understood. She just accepted that she was somehow, a minor fit, in the balance of the grander scheme of things. She had fought for a large chunk of her life, for her ideals and for her home. She would feel like a coward if she walked away now, just because she was scared of the unknown. Her entire life was being changed by great leaps and bounds ever since the shinobi had moved in. They had not only done that but they had changed the face of her community, and the civilians had eagerly embraced that change. She found that she hadn't resented them for it. Whether it held a deeper or purpose or not, Sakura didn't really know. But, it was, in the end apart of who she was. Just like the faulty parts of herself, this was another piece of herself that waited for acceptance or rejection.

She announced in a strong voice, "I want to accept the bond. I want to continue to uphold my birthright. I don't know where it will lead me. But," Sakura paused and her arms fell down at her sides. She suddenly felt frail in the cradle of her humanity, yet she continued to say in an even tone, "It's apart of who I am. And I acknowledge it for good or ill. I'm mortal, so I don't know if I can really help maintain the balance of life. However, I will accept the burden and the gift, if you still desire to share such a bond with me."

The moment the words left her, the shadows of the tiger, phoenix, dragon, turtle, began to shine radiantly. Then one by one, they came to the ledge, Sakura felt the ghosting of a brush of something inexplicable against her senses. It was a strange moment of intimacy that she couldn't quite describe with words alone. Tendrils of chakra; blue, white, red, and yellow curled around her, while coming from the bodies of the great elemental entities. The trailing colors entered her small form. It wasn't a piece of power, or any such thing. Rather it was, as it was described, a bonding of sorts. It humbled her that such great beings would want to communicate through her, if such a time should come.

Instinctively she reached out her hand, just as she used to do with the scythe, and she squeezed her fingers into a fist. The chakra strands curled around her arm, dancing over the surface over her skin. The whispers that she was growing accustomed to hearing, filled her hearing as they had never done before. The multi-hued energy meshed and melded into one, and then trailing up her appendage, it went straight to the center of her chest, looping in the familiar circle shape of her family crest. The garment around her shoulders slid open, her top half exposing itself, while she was being continually bathed in the warm glow. Oddly enough the young shaman didn't mind the nudity because she was so wrapped up into all that she was experiencing. And then as she gazed down, she could see a tattoo being branded on her skin. A golden vine arced round, a few leaves, interlacing and weaving on the epidermis.

Suddenly her eyes shut, and she felt her feet leave the ground, as her body began to float. Gently she was turned horizontal. The light around her expanded and then was drawn into her small frame. She shuddered once almost violently at the burning heat that over took her. Perspiration dotted her temples, and in the next breath of air that she breathed, she heard a small cracking sound in the distance. Then, she realized she was laying on something hard. Pink eyelashes fluttered slowly open revealing curious verdant orbs. She felt drained. Her vision blurred and she found herself looking into a familiar curious amber gaze.

"Hana? How?" her voice cracked as she rolled to the side, "Where are...?"

"You made it back Sakura. And I see that it all went well and that you accepted the bond," Hana said in a soft voice.

Sakura followed the cat's trailing gaze, and she blushed hotly as she realized the front of her outfit was unzipped. She was back in her old work clothes, and the bells were also gone. She zipped it up blushing furiously, before sitting up. She felt a bit dizzy and shaken. She told the cat, "I want to leave. I'm going to try and make it up the stairs."

Hana's eyes widened shocked. "You should rest. You're nearly drained dry."

"I know, but I'm worried about someone coming to search for me. I'd rather they don't find this place. I imagine they could pinpoint my chakra signature," she said, while rising to her feet unsteadily.

Hana watched with concern as Sakura began the long trek upstairs. The feline could only hope that she didn't pass out half way up. But she knew Sakura, once that girl was hell bent on an idea, she would do her best to succeed.

Sakura wasn't sure where she found the energy to make it all the way up to the top, but she somehow managed to pull it off. She was happy to see the sunlight, and to feel it on her skin when the entrance opened for them. It took the edge off the surreal high she was feeling. She frowned. They hadn't even told her goodbye, or their names, or some other blurb of ancient wisdom. She figured, that they were saving something for next time, if there was one, that is. Once she was completely out of the underground stairwell, she sank down onto the cobblestone. The sound of stone grinding as the pathway closed seemed to come from far away to the young woman's ears.

Hana sat down on her haunches next to her mistress, "You're so hardheaded. You aren't going to make it down hill in that condition."

"I know," she agreed easily with the cat in such a way that it made the feline's whiskers twitch with irritation, "But..." She was interrupted when suddenly she found herself surrounded by four familiar male shinobi.

Sakura sighed with mock aggravation really wanting nothing more than to lay down. She quipped caustically, "I'm not in the mood for you people. Go away." She leaned back bracing herself by resting a palm against the stone, while giving them a shooing gesture with her other hand.

Itachi glared down at the strange young woman, an aristocratic brow arched at her behavior. Though it wasn't something that didn't shock him. He decided to ignore that for now, and asked her in a crisp tenor, "We've been searching for you Lady Haruno. Where have you been?"

That clued Sakura that they hadn't seen her climb out of the hole with Hana. Maybe they hadn't been able to detect her chakra signature when she had been below the ground for some reason. She frowned up at him for a moment, but his stern visage made her laugh. She put a playful finger to her lips and winked up at them all saucily, "That's a secret."

Neji gazed hard at the woman with his usual austere look on his aristocratic face, "I heard you talking to someone. Who were you talking to?"

"She was talking to me," Hana replied for her, which sounded like nothing more than a couple meows to the men. She knew they couldn't understand her, but it amused her all the same.

"You heard the cat," Sakura gestured at the feline, while arching a serious brow at the four of them.

Naruto laughed. He couldn't help it. Not with Neji suddenly looking like he'd eaten something sour. Sasuke, like his brother was not in the least bit amused by the pink tressed female's antics either.

"I don't think they believe that," Sakura glanced at her cat her face scrunching up at the cat's returned look of annoyance, "Well I suppose that's not really surprising considering."

Hana sighed, knowing that Sakura was in an odd state, and that she needed time to recover. These men showing up weren't helping matters.

Itachi reached down and placed a hand around the woman's upper arm, "We do not have time for your mind games. Where were you? It was almost like you completely disappeared." When he went to heave her to her feet, his shrewd gaze noticed that her knees were wobbling with the effort to stand. At closer inspection, he could see that her eyes were a bit swollen and puffy as if she'd been crying. Her fingernails were cracked with grains of dirt underneath the tips, almost as if she'd been clawing at gravel. His eyebrows snapped together at the sight she made. She had obviously gone _somewhere_.

"I did disappear, I suppose," She answered with a vague, and yet blunt truthfulness that served little more than to exasperate the male.

He could see that she was being serious. Her knees were still quaking, and she was leaning against him as if she were utterly exhausted. It was similar to how she behaved yesterday after fighting off the effects of three sharingan.

She surprised them all when she asked softly, and far more politely then any of them had ever heard her, "Can you just take me home? I'm so tired." As if to drive the point home, she yawned a bone popping yawn that nearly shook her entire frame. She managed to cover her mouth with her free appendage.

He responded by lifting her up into a simple cradle hold. As soon as she was completely off of the ground, she went limp against him, her head rolling against his chest. Itachi doubted it was because she actually trusted him. It due to the fact that for some unknown reason, she was far more exhausted beyond normal. The Uchiha looked at the others who were watching the odd female curiously, "You are dismissed. I'll question her later about her whereabouts."

Hana merely followed the male down the hill, keeping an eye on him, as he took his bundle to the small shrine home. She watched through thoughtful orbs as the other nin left after the simple command. She wondered how long they'd been searching for Sakura. She hoped they hadn't noticed anything amiss until near the end. She had been down there, at least a good three hours waiting for Sakura to emerge from the inner temple.

Her amber gaze watched the human male as he gently lay the woman down on the sofa. Her eyes narrowed when Itachi turned around to look down at her. She cocked her head at him curiously, waiting for his reaction.

"If only you could talk," he murmured, the words were then followed up by an aggravated sigh, and his hand went up to run through his hair in a frustrated gesture that spoke volumes.

Hana responded immediately, her sarcasm clearly evident, "Of course I can talk, you idiot. You just can't understand what I'm saying. It's too bad."

Itachi eyed the cat who was meowing at him, as if she were truly having a conversation with him. He wondered if Pakkun, Kakashi's summon would be able to communicate with the woman's pet. But then dismissed the idea, as he knew that even though Pakkun was a dog in a sense, the intelligence of a summon was different than that of a house hold pet.

When he turned his back to leave, the feline stuck her tongue out at his back. After he was finally gone, she padded silently over the sofa before leaping up and curling up into a ball against Sakura's hip, before falling asleep herself.

-o-

The sweet sound of morning songbirds gently woke the young woman out of her fitful slumber. Her limbs were stiff from sleeping in on the sofa in such an awkward position for so long. Rubbing the sore knot on her neck, she stood to her feet, her joints popping as she stretched languorously. She headed straight to the kitchen to put on a pot of tea. She needed a caffeine fix.

She felt Hana's gaze on her while she downed three cups of tea. After doing so, she began to feel somewhat more normal. As the memories of the day before, filtered into her brain, Sakura placed a hand over the area between her breasts where she knew the symbol left behind by the Guardians was emblazoned on her skin. She mumbled in the direction of the watchful feline, "It's hard to believe all that happened."

"That it did. I can sense the difference in your signature now. It's subtle. I doubt the shinobi will notice it, but," the cat hopped down, ambling forward to wait for her breakfast, "I recognize the finger print left by the Guardians'. I'm proud of you. The fact that you decided to accept the bond, when you're alone is something that would be difficult for most people. I also believe that your mother would feel the same as well."

The mention of her parent made her eyes sting. The words from the mirror images were still vivid, and painful in her mind. She set down the empty cup on the counter, while turning her back on Hana, "What's there to have pride in? I'm still the same old me."

"That in itself, is more than enough reason," Hana berated her heatedly, irritated by her blase attitude, "With everything that's transpired in your life lately. I feel you have done well considering what you've been given."

"I truly hope so," Sakura replied softly, not really certain how to take what she felt was an undeserved compliment.

Hana could find nothing to say in response to the woman's despondency. The feline knew instinctively that Sakura had emotional barricades that she would have to learn how to get past on her own. It was apart of her heritage. She had to become comfortable and confident in her own skin.

"I'm going to clean up, and go out today. I know that the Uchiha will seek me out eventually to question me. I rather meet him on my own terms," Sakura spoke while readying the cat's meal.

The feline merely nodded, as the woman placed her breakfast down for her. Out of the corner of her amber eyes she watched her mistress exit the kitchen.

Sakura was quicker in the bath that day then usual. She dressed in another one of her mother's garments. It was a dress, that was styled similar to the one she wore for the meeting with the Hokage. It was a plain green affair with a high turtle neck. Over the top, she layered wore a cream colored robe, with amber colored buttons that interwove into gilded thread loops. At the neck, instead of crescent moons, there were two blue oval stones on each lapel, connected by a simple golden hued chain. She put on the boots, after finding them comfortable she had decided she'd wear them more often.

She brushed her hair out, leaving it to lay in a long damp swathe down her back. Sakura left the property with her chin lifted at a proud angle. The stature of her shoulders were held erect as she took the path down to the village. Green eyes trailed over the new buildings that were being added to the construction of the merger. Those must be the ones for the clans that the Uchiha's mentioned the other day, she thought to herself idly as she strode through the street.

More and more, she saw people wearing a hitai-ite with the leaf symbol carved proudly in the metal surface of band. She also took note of the fact that the civilians of the old city were already beginning to wear the darker, drabber colors that most of the shinobi and their clans wore. Naruto it seemed was a bit on the eccentric side for a nin. She was able to easily spot, the few people of the former Ixion, in the brighter garb. Most of them were elderly. She caught sight of the old captain of the guard, and even he was dressed like the most of Konoha. The faces being carved into the cliffside were taking on more character each day it seemed.

Sakura stiffened when she heard Lee's cheerful voice directly behind her, "It's the Cherry Blossom of Konoha! Wait for me, my little flower."

Eyes narrowing, she pivoted on her heel, and crossed her arms across her chest to meet the overly-excited male. Her voice was a little terse when she greeted him with feigned politeness, "Hello Lee." But what her gaze fell upon was not in the least bit expected. Next to the enthusiastic Lee was an older male, dressed exactly the same as he was. The same putrid green uniform, matching bowl hair cuts, thick eyebrows and all. It was almost too much for her take in all at once.

"I wanted you to meet my squad leader, Gai-sensei," Lee gestured to the older man at his side.

A young woman with dark brown hair and large chocolate hued eyes stepped around the two men before Sakura could choke out something appropriate. She wore her hair in two round top knots above either side of her ears. Sakura found herself being subjected to cool scrutiny. There was a coldness in the young female's eyes that belied her young age. Sakura merely returned the look, her own face becoming shuttered.

Lee noticed his comrade eyeing the stranger and introduced her as well, "This is one of the companions that I mentioned the other day. Tenten," then pausing he gestured back at the emerald eyed female, "This is Sakura."

"A pleasure to meet you," Sakura nodded her head at them, her voice devoid of inflection.

"So polite for one so young. Where is your powerful enthusiasm of youth?" Gai flexed in front of her and Sakura could have sworn she seen his teeth sparkle when he smiled at her.

Left eyebrow quirking, she quipped, "I seemed to have," she put a finger to her lips and then shrugged, "left it at home with my cat."

She caught the sound of a small snicker coming from the direction of the stern young female in their group. But by the time she lifted her eyes to her face, Tenten was looking pointedly away. Sakura was certain that her guarded nature stemmed from the fact that she had to deal with her strange teammates.

"Lee, Gai-sensei," Neji spoke from behind her, "We are to report to..." The lilac-silver eyed male came to a halt next to her. An arrogant brow rose high as he surveyed the scene. He addressed her appropriately, "Lady Haruno. I did not expect to find you here."

Sakura smiled back, the corners of it quirking in such a way that Neji knew for a fact that something sarcastic or the like was going to come from her mouth.

"Oh hello Hyuuga-sama," she walked about him in a circle with her hands laced behind her back ever so slowly, a mischievous twinkle in her eye that he already didn't like the look of, "Before you report to duty -- you might want to change into your groups' err -- uniform. Well on the other hand," she pretended to think it over, "I do recall you seem to prefer to masquerade around in black bed sheets. But I think this shade of green would suit you admirably."

Her grin grew ever wider as he openly glared at her. The muscles in his face didn't move a centimeter, but the look in his eyes spoke volumes.

"Ahh yes! You have good eyes Sakura!" Lee gushed, before clapping her on her back hard enough to almost knock her sideways, "I keep telling Neji-san that he should wear this uniform. It's the ultimate outfit to workout in." He flexed to show her exactly what he meant. He demonstrated by doing small crouches, and mini arm circles.

"_That's_ too much visual information is what _that _it is," Sakura muttered under her breath.

Tenten openly laughed, having heard the other woman's words. She walked over and put a hand on her shoulder, surprising Sakura with the openly friendly gesture, "I have to report for duty right now. Perhaps we could go out and get a _drink_ some time."

Sakura's gaze swept over the three men watching their interaction with varying expressions. The corner of Sakura's lip twitched, she couldn't help but notice the blatant emotion underlying the Tenten's invitation. She nodded at the other woman, "I'd like that. I'll take you to Ichiraku's, and I'll even get the old man to pull out the potent stuff."

Neji's dry tone pulled the girls' attention back towards him, "We should get going. We'll be late." Gai and Lee were still too busy discussing work out ethics to pay the Hyuuga any mind.

Just as Tenten turned around to say something, Gai announced while throwing a closed fist into the air, "The last one to the Hokage's Tower, will have to do three hundred laps around Konoha while doing handstands."

The answering excitement on Lee's face forced Sakura to cover her mouth with her hand to smother the laugh that wanted to surface. Gai and Lee moved into a ready position, and in the blink of an eye they were two dust trails blazing towards the Hokage Tower. Tenten merely sighed and slightly shook her head. Neji didn't react at all, having long gotten used to their antics. The two exchanged a look and then blurred out of sight. After a moment's pause she continued to stroll around town. Sakura knew that eventually Itachi would find her, when he was ready to do so.

The woman glanced around her, soaking in the progressing changes around her. Turning, she decided to walk to where the school was being built. She halted next to a vendor stall for a moment to eye the wares placed out on the wooden surface. Scarves that were fashioned out of various soft and silky materials were laid flat for customer perusal. All around her, the streets were bustling with townsfolk, mingling with the off duty nin. She could smell the scent of cooking food on the tail of the breeze. The laughter and swell of voices was relaxed and cheerful.

When the vendor met her eyes, she nodded politely and left before he could give her the usual sale's pitch. Milling and weaving through the populace, she was a bit surprised when a few of the elderly that had known her all her life, dipped their heads amiably at her. A smile touched her lips in response. Although there were no words exchanged, Sakura understood the gesture and appreciated it for its simplicity. At the edge of town, she followed the thinning tree line, and soon her gaze attached itself to the half built school. It was no longer just a skeletal structure. She could see the scattered colorful specs in the distance. There were several groups of men, with their ladders propped against the building while they put up the paneling and insulation.

Even from her distance she could hear the pounding of the hammers and the sawing of wood. A gust of wind stirred, caused her skirt to billow. Tensing slightly at the familiar presence standing at a distance behind her. She still didn't bother to turn. Sakura spoke softly, "I was waiting for you Uchiha-sama."

"You know why I've come," the sound of his silky tenor, was a strange contrast against the strength of his presence, "Would it be too much for me to expect an appropriate response?"

"I don't know. I'll tell you after you begin to question me," she responded with her usual abruptness.

Finally, she turned to face him and tilted her head to the side as if waiting for him to do exactly that.

"There is something different about you," he startled her by being perfectly blunt.

Sakura wasn't sure what she had expected him to say, but his startling astute declaration threw her off balance. Hana had mentioned the changes to her chakra signature but had stated that she doubted the shinobi would notice any difference in her. This man, had known her for only a short time and was able to pin point such a thing was a clarifying experience for her. She had always known that he was intelligent and sharp witted. However, his attention to minor details was something that she hadn't really figured on. She looked into his obsidian flinty orbs and knew that trying to converse with him in such a guarded mental state would make things more difficult for them both.

She smiled up at him and shook her head at the futility of it all. She turned and gestured, her fingers pointing in the direction of the dirt path, "Walk with me. If you have the time to do so, that is." Before he could respond to the unexpected invitation, she turned and walked away. Sakura watched him covertly out of the corner of her eyes. She could tell that he was suspicious at the sudden change in her outward nature.

After several moments of silence, she realized that he was going to remain reserved. Sakura began to explain to him, "The difference in my signature that you sense merely stems from the fact that I have fully decided to accept the terms of my birthright."

At this conjecture, she openly gazed at him. His face was still shuttered but the lines around his eyes had relaxed slightly. She knew he was deciding whether or not to accept her words at face value. So she remained silent, waiting for whatever he had to say next.

"I know you are aware that you have been kept under surveillance," the ANBU captain didn't waste time beating around the bush. He knew from his experience of having to keep watch over her under the Hokage's orders during the three days she'd been given to make a decision, that even if they concealed their presence, she could still sense them. He watched her sharply, his shrewd orbs searching for any changes in her demeanor. When there was none he finally continued, "There was a report that your signature suddenly just disappeared." He left the question unspoken.

Sakura stopped, the crunch beneath the heel of her boots seemed almost too loud to her ears as she turned to face him. She waited until he halted. She spoke in even tones, enunciating each syllable slowly so there would be no misunderstanding in what she was saying, "Uchiha-sama, I know that you understand that I am a relatively private person. I am conscious of the concern that such a thing might cause. However, this is something about me that you are going to have to accept if we are to spend our lives together."

His exotically, almost feline-like shaped eyes narrowed on her. She could tell by the intensity in his onyx eyes that he wasn't too happy with the lack of explanation.

She expounded on her statement, "You are shinobi. I am shaman. Neither of us fully understand the connotations in the differences in who and what we are. We may never will, when it is all said and done. There is much about your people that I do not comprehend. I was merely, being what I am. I apologized that it caused a ruckus, but there is nothing I can do to rectify what happened." Sakura knew he was extremely intelligent and that he would grasp the meaning behind her words. She could only hope it would be enough.

"You did not leave the confines of Konoha? In other words you were fulfilling some ceremonial duties," he picked up on what she was saying quickly.

Sakura dipped her head in response.

"Hn."

"With all that said. I know that you spoke to the Hokage yesterday morning about our impending marriage. I imagine you went ahead and set a date," she appeared calm, but on the inside she was inexplicably nervous.

Itachi nodded at the female, his eyes quickly picking up the way her fingers were folded, and how her knuckles had gone white. He informed her coolly, "We are to go the Hokage's office two weeks from today. It would have been sooner, as the paper work is nearly ready for us. I will be out on a mission in the meantime and so I set the date back."

His words brought a startling realization to the woman. This would be a common happenstance in the course of their union. He would often be gone on these missions. She understood little about the nin, but she knew that many of the things he took part in would most likely often be life threatening. It was also probable that he would be gone for extended amounts of time. Sakura was surprised at the small nibble of concern that she felt. She cleared her throat, "I see. I'm honestly pleased that you decided to keep things private and simple. I don't think I would have wanted to undergo a ceremony. Is your family fine with this?" She remembered his mother's reaction to her suggestion of wanting to do things this way.

"With the completion of the merger. The clan is very busy. Even though I am the clan heir, they are agreeable to the decision," Itachi inclined his head, somewhat bemused by the relief on her face. From what he knew, most women were prone to wanting a huge ceremony with fine, fancy dresses and a party afterward in their honor. Most of the females he knew thrived on attention, and yet, Sakurashied away from the invasive eyes of others. She was a private person, just as she had announced to him with her usual straightforward demeanor. He watched the myriad of emotions that crossed her expressive face, and though he didn't react outwardly, he inwardly admitted he still couldn't quite figure her out. When he had first met her, she had been rude and abrasive. She was still openly opinionated and forthright, but the sharp edge was giving way to small glimpses of something else. He was usually able to figure a person out in a relatively short amount of time. Yet, this small female continued to evade any preconception that he had formed about her. Itachi was still intrigued with the enigma she continued to be.

Sakura gazed up into his stoic visage wordlessly for several long moments. She struggled with the idea that had come to mind. With a small sigh of resignation, she put out her hand, palm facing up. She hoped that she could manage to call forth the small piece from the Guardian's weapon. She knew that she would never be able to use the armor and scythe again. She thought about her father's image in the mirror. The small piece of her heart that had remained behind. Shutting her eyes, she called it forth. Her heart beat quickened slightly when she felt the soft material forming in her grasp. Swallowing the lump in her throat, pink eyelashes fluttered as she looked down at the green ribbon. Her thumb caressed the material gently. She could feel Itachi's eyes on her. After a moment, she requested without looking up at his face, "I would be honored if you would accept this gift, Uchiha-sama."

Silence shimmered between the two of them, for what seemed like forever to Sakura. Slowly she lifted her chin. Her gaze searched his shuttered coal black orbs. Emerald eyes traced the deep lines grooved into his cheeks, and then back up to his watchful stare. She could tell that he was still thinking it over. After all she had just summoned it from out of nothing, and so he was probably leery of accepting such a thing from her.

Her voice was more hoarse than she would have liked as she said, "I understand if you want to refuse." She glanced away embarrassed by her behavior and lack of self control. She had no idea why, the desire give him something so personal had come upon her. She knew her cheeks were red. She ducked her chin even lower, her bangs falling forward to veil her mortification from his far too perceptive eyes. A small breath hissed from her lips in surprise when he hooked a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face.

Even after he removed the digit from her skin, she found herself all too aware of him. He seemed far too close for her liking. His voice curled around her senses when he finally responded, "We are betrothed. It is acceptable to call me Itachi."

Sakura dipped her chin to indicate that she understoo. She replied in a soft voice, "Then I suppose you should begin to use my given name as well." She was pleased that her tone was steady again. She realized belatedly on an after thought that he had already started doing so.

"I didn't expect for you to offer something to me that is obviously very personal to you."

The corners of her lips tugged into a slight smile at his round about acceptance. Slowly she walked around him. Reaching up, she found herself blushing all over again when she placed the emerald-hued material over the simple rubber band that he used to keep his hair in a neat ponytail. She tied it in a tight, neatly woven knot. Her fingers brushing against the nape of his neck and the crimson over the bridge over her nose darkened. She drew back a step as he turned to face her again.

"I won't keep you from your pressing duties," Sakura summoned her usual devil may care smirk, "Be safe."

She turned and lifted her hand in farewell. She felt his gaze practically burning a hole between her shoulder blades, but she didn't look back. Instead she headed back the way she had come.

-o-

"Ugh, I don't get this!" Sakura complained to Hana who was watching her with half lidded eyes.

"You shouldn't force yourself. Your abilities are still very new. It will take some time," the feline told her with an exasperated edge to her voice.

"It's already been a week," the pink haired shaman sighed, while burying a hand into her tresses.

"Frustration will only cloud your judgment," Hana's whiskers twitched as she spoke.

The woman struggled to calm her frazzled nerves and attempted to refocus on the task at hand. Sitting on the floor, she held her arm outstretched. Shutting her eyes, her senses flared outward. The warmth of her chakra flowed and ebbed through her as she continued to concentrate. A voice, faint and uncertain whispered to her, _Why do you seek higher power? If you wish to bring light into the world, then find the hidden nature of the obscured place. There the innocent must cast their light. _Her eyes flew open in shock, seeking wise amber.

"Too much knowledge can hinder and blind," Hana's tail curled about her furry body, "Do not fear failure. It is how you will learn. Soon the elements will begin to respond to you and will aid you should you need it. Respect first must be established. Your awareness will heighten."

Sakura's fingers curled closed as she pulled her arm back, the appendage falling to her lap. She dipped her chin, indicating that she understood.

"I think you should go out. You've been cooped up too long. Perhaps you should try and get along with people for once," Hana told her dryly.

Stiffening Sakura glared at the cat, who merely stared back calmly in response.

"Sakura, for far too long you have shut yourself away from the outer world. How do you expect to grow not only into your powers but as a person if you continually avoid people? You've always been under the assumption that it was necessary to protect this place. After your meeting with the Guardians you know this isn't true."

"Sometimes I think I liked it better when I couldn't understand what you were saying," Sakura stood her feet, her nimble fingers brushing the back of her skirt free of debris, "I can't believe I'm getting lectured by my cat."

"You're just afraid," Hana's eyes narrowed on her face, "You are far too young to be stuck up in this shrine all the time. Go visit Koharu. Talk to people your age."

"I am starting to think that you're just trying to get rid of me," Sakura protested while lacing her arms together.

"You were always a smart one," Hana's haunches lifted until she was in a standing position, "I honestly feel that it would be beneficial for you to try and get along with these strangers who have moved into our land. It's a sign of the changing times. You need to learn to be confident in yourself. Consider it training if you have to."

"All right, all right," Sakura lifted her hands up in defeat beneath the cat's hard glare, "You win. I'll go take a walk. I suppose I could at least use the fresh air."

Hana nodded, and breathed a sigh of relief when the woman finally left.

Half-way to town Sakura realized that she just lost an argument to a cat. Grumbling a few choice words under her breath, she looked around at the end of the path that trailed from her home into the village streets. She quickly took note that much of the construction was about half-way finished. She murmured to herself, "And the world keeps on turning."

As soon as the last syllable died on her tongue, she noticed a familiar orange speck across the street. She thought about Hana's words, and sighed. Sakura crossed the way, closing in the distance. As soon as his blue eyes fell upon her coming towards him, she could see the apprehension in them. Her lips thinned, so the man was still afraid of her. Sakura tried to smile at him, but that only seemed to make him flinch away from her. Her temper flared. Eyes narrowing sharply she marched up to him and grabbed him by the scruff of his collar when he tried to walk away from her.

Her right brow ticked thrice when she greeted him, ignoring his flushed cheeks, "Hello Naruto."

He grinned sheepishly at her when she released him, "Hi err -- Sakura."

A saucy smirk twisted her lips and she put a hand on her hip, her pose lax, "Don't tell me a shinobi like yourself is afraid of a small town girl like me?"

A line of red colored his tanned cheeks. He mumbled, "Of course I'm not."

She poked him in the chest with a finger and watched when he flinched, "Seems like you are to me. Why is that?" She arched a brow at him. She cornered him and forced him to face her and not run away.

Naruto finally cracked, "Y.. you know why."

"Oh? Do I?" She crossed her arms against her chest, "Please explain it to me."

"You're a witch who talks to ghosts," he flared back at her.

"No I'm not," Sakura shrugged at him being. She was being completely point blank with him. She added coolly, "Whether you believe me or not is up to you. I was just tiring of your idiocy and decided that things needed to be set straight. I didn't know nin were such cowards. Especially over something like that. Oh well." She gave a half shrug and made to walk away.

"Wait," Naruto called after her and jogged to catch up to her until he was walking with her side by side, "you said you were one yourself."

"I was lying. I was trying to scare you and the Hyuuga off my property," Sakura said lightly, "And_ you_ were gullible enough to believe it."

"But that yellow..."

"It was chakra," Sakura finished for him curtly, exasperated with his obstinancy, "You are a shinobi aren't you? Couldn't you tell..."

"Why would you do that?" Naruto asked her in a sotto soft voice.

"I don't -- I mean -- I didn't like people," she watched his reaction through her peripheral vision.

"Why?" the blond queried, his blue eyes that Sakura realized had a strangely piercing quality to them.

She stopped and gazed straight into those azure depths, "I felt I had to keep myself distanced from everyone, to keep something protected."

"What changed?"

A small and somewhat sad smile adorned her face, "I learned that I was wrong." She then waved a dismissive hand at him, "I just wanted you to know that I'm a person that you should not bother being afraid of. That's all."

She started to walk away from him. Sakura was startled when he put a hand on her slender shoulder and halted her movement. She stopped midstride before looking back at him.

Naruto looked down at the woman, when he squeezed her slender-boned shoulder, he realized how small she really was. Looking down into her petite features, and her green eyes that seemed too large for her face. He suddenly felt very foolish for holding any fear of her. He murmured embarrassed with himself, "I'm sorry Sakura."

Brushing his appendage aside, she shook her head, "There's no need to apologize."

"Let's go to Ichiraku for some ramen," he announced, back to his usual cheer, "I haven't eaten lunch yet. Have you?"

"You really are an endless ramen pit," Sakura couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped her.

"Hey! That place is awesome," He grumbled down at her but then flashed her an easy grin.

Strangely enough the normally prickly female couldn't resist his simple, and yet well-meaning charm. She returned the smile, her green eyes twinkling with mirth, "Fine. But you're buying."

They walked side by side and just before the reached the ramen bar, a young woman with long, black hair and familiar silver eyes stopped in front of them. Sakura took note of her blushing and the way she looked up at Naruto who was smiling back at her.

"Hey Hinata," Naruto greeted the girl.

Sakura made a quick mental connection and asked in her usual blunt way, "You're related to Mr. Stick Up My Ass aren't you?"

She never seen anyones eyes go so wide in her entire life. Sakura was concerned that the girl was about ready to go into some kind of shock. Probably no one talked about the Hyuuga heir in that manner, she thought with wry amusement.

"Hinata this is Sakura. And yes," Naruto choked back a laugh, "Hinata is Neji's cousin."

"It's nice to meet you," Sakura smirked up at the taller girl.

"Um," Hinata's hands twisted in front her. She was obviously shy, and not quite certain how to take the young woman at Naruto's side.

"We're going to go to Ichiraku's," Sakura pointed at the small ramen stall behind the young woman, "Want to come?"

"Well um, I um," Hinata began to twist her fingers together more tightly.

Sakura merely grabbed the young woman's arm and began to drag her right along with them, "Great. I'm glad you're hungry too."

The raven haired woman remained silent. When Sakura gave her a chance to sit next to the blond, the girl balked. So instead of making a scene, Sakura plopped down in the seat and put her palm on the counter, propping her chin up with her other hand, "Afternoon Teuchi," then nodded at his daughter, "Ayame."

Ayame smiled when she noticed Sakura sitting between the two nin. She asked them, "You here for lunch?"

"Yup, I'd like my usual," Sakura told the owner's friendly daughter.

"Tonkotsu," Hinata mumbled so softly that Ayame had to lean in to hear her order.

"I'll have the Shoyu," Naruto leaned forward, his padded stool squeaking with the movement.

"Coming right up."

"It's good to see you out and about Sakura," Teuchi turned around to glance at the three of them. He turned again to spoon out their portions from the different boiling pots.

Ayame handed them their food, with a set of disposable chopsticks.

Sakura felt the curious gazes from the nin with her. She gave the owner a stiff grin as she picked up some steaming hot noodles, "I'm sorry. I know I haven't come to work in a while. It's been rather busy as of late."

He turned around this time, fully to face her. The crinkles around his eyes deepened as he assessed her silently for a moment. Squirming in her stool beneath the stern look in his eyes, he finally spoke, "I heard from old lady Koharu that you're going to be marrying into one of the shinobi clans."

Hinata coughed on her left. Sakura glanced at her to make sure the poor girl wasn't choking. When the girl looked a little pale but was obviously fine, she averted her gaze back to the shop owner. Teuchi had a tendency to be blunt.

"That's right old man. You heard correctly," she said and then blew on the still steaming noodles before slurping them up.

Ayame grinned openly at Sakura, "So who is the lucky man?"

Sakura suddenly remembered why she was an introvert by choice. She was suddenly being subjected to three sets of piercing stares. Naruto was too busy eating to care.

Naruto answered for her, having already finished his bowl and was handing it to Ayame, already wanting his second serving, "Uchiha Itachi."

Sakura's face turned crimson when everyone but Naruto gasped in shock. She began to eat the contents in the bowl quickly, so she could get the hell out of there.

"Isn't he the Uchiha heir?" Teuchi frowned down at her.

"Yes," Hinata surprised her by speaking up. The surprise still hadn't worn off her face.

For some reason, Sakura noted, the girl looked oddly pleased. She would bet a week's worth of pay that it had something to do with the oblivious blond male on her right. She wondered how Hinata would react if she told her that Naruto had been one of the young men who had agreed to a match.

"What about the shrine?" Teuchi continued to question her, his brown eyes took on an alarming piercing quality.

"I am not moving. It will continue to be maintained," Sakura assured him coolly.

The set of his shoulders relaxed, "I see." The wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out and he gave her a small apologetic smile, "I wish you and your future husband every happiness then."

Sakura was hard pressed not to roll her eyes but she merely nodded in response, "Thank you." Standing, she left her half eaten bowl. She pushed the money into Ayame's outstretched hand even though she had teased Naruto about paying for her, "I'll see you both later. The food was as delicious as always."

Ayame was about to protest but a hard look from Sakura effectively silenced the young woman. Naruto shoved the last of the noodles into his mouth, and paid for both his and Hinata's food despite the girl's weak protests. The silver eyed female made do with giving the owner and his daughter a tip, before following the other two out.

Naruto gazed into Sakura's shuttered face, "I know it was something that was kind of forced on you. Maybe you should just tell the old man whatever it is that he wants to hear so you don't have to."

Sakura threw back her head and laughed at that, "Come now Naruto. You and I both know even if I did that, I would still have to marry into a shinobi clan. Don't let that old geezer fool you. Besides," her visage sobered as she assessed the two nin watching her, "Itachi gave me a choice. I accepted."

Hinata suddenly spoke, pulling Sakura's attention to her, "Clans can be very strict. Especially when an heir is involved."

"I may not know much about shinobi -- but I was able to figure that much out on my own. Fugaku Uchiha nearly threw a tantrum when I informed him that I was going to remain in my home," Sakura admitted with an amused grin.

"He relented," Hinata was obviously shocked by this.

"Itachi actually talked him into it," Sakura nodded at the girl.

"He probably liked the idea of being allowed to move off of the compound," Naruto muttered next to her.

Sakura was taken aback by his offhand comment. She asked despite herself, "You think so? I mean," and then she thought back to the oppressiveness of the inner walls. To have so many relatives constantly around a person all the time probably did get to be stifling. She dipped her chin once more, "I suppose I could understand that."

"You won't have to feel the pressure from his clan then," Hinata told the pink haired woman, a thoughtful look in her lavender tinged eyes.

"Heh, I'd like to see them try to force me to do anything," Sakura made a face, and then lifted her hand into the air to chin level, clenching it into a fist for effect. She honestly meant it. She'd fight them tooth and nail before she'd be forced to sit in some compound to be used like some damn broodmare.

"Eh Sakura," Naruto rubbed the back of his head before continuing, "It's hard to go against a clan council once they've made up their mind about something."

"Clans have those?" Sakura asked him, her lips pulling into a frown.

"The larger ones usually do," the Hyuuga agreed with the blond.

"The Hyuuga's have one?" she asked Hinata curious despite herself.

The raven haired woman responded with a regal incline of the head.

"Your clan too Naruto?" the pinkette glanced at the azure eyed male.

"No. It's just me, my father and mother," Naruto admitted with a smile before letting out an amused chuckle, "I'm glad about it though. I don't think I could stand something like that. Sometimes I actually feel bad for teme."

Sakura realized that the Uzumaki's must be powerful in their own right to hold some standing as such a small clan, if one can truly call it that, amongst the Hyuuga's and the Uchiha's. She mentioned in a low voice, "I have heard there are more clans forging agreements with the alliance."

"Yes. The Akamichi, Abureme, Nara, and the Inuzuka," Hinata explained while putting a finger to her lips, her eyes shadowed with thought, "We completed mission contracts with them before, but now since we formed a village they have decided to become permanent with us because the merging has been so successful."

"I see," Sakura sighed inwardly. It seemed that her home was truly being invaded to a certain extent. Soon, the shinobi clans and their families would outnumber the original Ixion residents.

"It won't be long! Konoha will be the number one hidden village of all the countries," Naruto interjected in his usual animated manner.

Sakura's lips thinned at his enthusiasm. She had realized after her conversation with Itachi's parents, that the clans were competitive. She imagined that they would be even more so with outside shinobi. She hoped that this wouldn't cause external issues, never mind internal. Even though her experiences were narrow, and centered around life in former Ixion, and her shrine, she understood that the innate human desire for power was a natural part of humanity as a whole.

She had enough with attempting to be social with people. Sakura decided she had hit that day's quota. The pink haired woman vocalized before turning to leave, "There is always a price to pay when you obtain power that draws the eyes of others."

Hinata and Naruto watched the mysterious woman stride away from them, both pairs of eyes were shadowed as the mulled over the strange female's words. To a shinobi the goal of obtaining power, and knowing how to utilize it was in a large part an important component of being nin. The weak were weeded through ruthlessly in their society, and with each succeeding generation, the standard would raise along with expectations. It was how they lived. It was just how things were for shinobi. To them both, her comment was ridiculous and yet, there was a subtle warning held within that neither could quite grasp.

"There really is something weird about Sakura," Naruto murmured next to Hinata.

The black tressed female brushed the stray strands of her hair behind the elegant arch of her ear while she watched Sakura's retreating form. For the moment she wasn't bothered by the blond's near proximity, nor of the fact that she was alone with him. Hinata's thought laden silver orbs glanced at the male standing at her side, "Her ideals are not like ours," she paused trying to make sense of her ruminations, "It's almost like trying to mix oil and water."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:**After this one folks. The updates will slow down. This is pretty much as far as I've gotten with this story. For those of you know me. You know the drill when I have multiple fics up. Sometimes I get on a kick -- other times, I just rotate as best as I possibly can. The three stories that I'm working on are emotionally intense (at least for me) in their own way. I've also got some personal things going on irl with family. Don't worry -- I never forget about my stories or everyone who is waiting on me to update. Thank you for your patience -- even if it's feigned. Thanks anyway, I appreciate the effort nonetheless. =)

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the rights to Naruto.

**Chapter 7**

Hana fell into the habit of forcing Sakura out of the shrine at least every other day. The woman was a bit annoyed at being forced to socialize by a cat. Her feline was special, but it was still aggravating nonetheless. As the time of her impending matrimony drew nearer, Sakura was becoming more and more nervous. She glared over her shoulder at Hana who was still perched on the porch. The black cat merely eyed her back coolly, her jewel-tinted orbs glinting from the shadows. Shutting the gate with an audible sigh, she slowly shuffled into the village.

Half way down, she was taken aback by the sight of Koharu trudging up the hill towards the shrine. Her chin was tucked into her chest, and her gray bun bobbed up and down with her the effort apparent in her aging body.

"Lady Utatane," the sound of Sakura's spoken greeting caused the old woman to stop mid stride.

Her bright blue eyes narrowed on the shaman's face, "Sakura. I was just on my way to visit you."

"Instead of going all the way up to the house. Perhaps we should stop at one of the new shop's that opened, and have a cup of tea," Sakura took pity at the sight of the small beads of sweat adorning Kohura's wrinkled forehead.

Relief was readily apparent in Koharu's sharp azure orbs, "That sounds lovely."

Sakura fell into step beside the older woman, "How long has it been since you've been to the shrine?"

"Not since your parents passed away."

"I understand," She murmured as she stepped into the crowded street. Sakura added while pointing subtly at a small white building, complete with a dull red roof, "I heard that this place serves good tea."

Koharu followed Sakura inside. A server greeted them, and quickly seated the two of them in a semi-private booth. The pink haired female looked over the contents of the menu curiously before ordering a citrus flavored tea, that supposedly held a hint of jasmine. Koharu being a bit less adventurous requested the standard green tea. Once the server left them, the younger woman opened the conversation, "So what brought you looking for me?"

"I haven't seen you since," Koharu threaded her hands together and placed them on the table in her usual manner, "that incident in the Uchiha compound. I was hoping to find out the date of your marriage, and if you were going to have a ceremony."

Sakura sighed, realizing her great aunt had probably felt a bit off put by the lack of invitation and information. Sakura massaged the bridge of her nose and let out a small tired sigh. The server returned with their beverages. The sound of clinking china interrupted Sakura's thoughts for the moment. The two women politely thanked the waitress. She slowly stirred a bit of sugar and cream into the steaming liquid in the ivory rose floral china. Lifting her chin, she shook her head at Koharu, "I apologize for my lack of foresight. I honestly didn't think about it. You see, I'm not having a ceremony. The date is set in three day's time. And that seems to be dependent on Itachi Uchiha's return. Apparently he's out on a mission or whatever it is these nin do for a living."

"You are just going to legalize it? I can't believe such a large clan would accept such a quiet arrangement," Koharu arched a wispy gray brow at Sakura.

"Mikoto stated that with the merging they are still quite busy," she responded before she sipped at the tea.

"And your fiancé? He is fine with this?" Koharu couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"He hasn't stated otherwise. He doesn't seem the type to care much for frivolity," Sakura set down the half empty delicate china cup in the matching saucer.

"What about you? Don't you want a ceremony?" The elderly woman asked before finishing her beverage.

Sakura bit out a sharp laugh at that before pointing at herself in playful mockery. Her lips quirked as she quipped, "Have you forgotten just who you happen to be talking to?"

A responding amused smile tugged at the old woman's mouth, "I suppose that was silly of me to ask you something like that."

The expression on Sakura's faced dimmed. She twiddled the teacup in the saucer, while staring into the cooling liquid, "You know, I've been meaning to ask you. Now that you've finally opened up to tell me things that you had otherwise decided to keep to yourself..."

Koharu leaned back to survey the younger woman. Her voice was slightly gruff when she finally spoke, "I can see the conflict on your face."

"I know very little concerning my parents' deaths. I just know that it was something to do with the shrine itself," Sakura lifted her chin slightly to study the older woman's expression.

Lady Utatane grimaced but then responded in a somber tone, "No one really knows. When your parents were found. They were already dead. There was several other bodies around them, that were also deceased. Their enemies were covered in burns, and wounds from your father's scythe."

"So in reality, no one knows what had really happened?" Sakura queried before consuming the rest of her now lukewarm tea, "Or why?"

"We do not know what the driving force behind the attackers, but I do know that your parents did not involve themselves with conflicts that didn't concern them," Koharu explained to Sakura, her tone low, "We explained the incident to you -- based on our assumptions. You were still very young at the time, so of course we omitted some of the details."

"I suppose I'll just never know," Sakura let loose a deep drawn out breath, "Perhaps there are some things best left alone."

The elderly woman could practically see her great niece's personal inner demon's dancing in the depths of dulled emerald. She cleared her throat, "Sakura. If you really hold a strong desire in your heart to find the truth. Then some day it will find you."

Sakura's smile held a touch of grimness to it, "That kind of faith evades me these days."

Koharu eyed the young woman who had been forced to grow up so fast. She intoned gently, "I think you've handled the changes not only with aplomb but you haven't balked or backed down when most women would have tucked tail and run."

"I am a lot of things," Sakura stood, while setting down the payment and tip for her tea on the table, "but I am not a coward. If I had chosen to run away, then I couldn't call myself an adult. Thank you for having tea with me. I'll try and visit you more often."

"I would like that, but I know you are busy. Please stop by if you can," Koharu didn't move to get up, but merely waved her away with a dismissive gesture.

Wordlessly Sakura left the establishment after paying her bill. Standing on the edge of the concrete bordering the street. A breeze stirred and swirled about her. At the edge of her senses she heard whispers brush sweetly against the lobe of her ear. It was strange to be so aware of things. She already knew that the summer weather would arrive a couple weeks early this year. Each passing day, she was becoming more and more in tune with the hum of energy in her veins. While the shinobi around her had chakra signatures that almost felt discordant with the natural flow, hers seemed to meld and embrace.

The brand of the Guardian's that rested just above her breasts suddenly throbbed. Her eyes drew towards the city gate and her lips opened slightly. Stepping down, the wind picked up around her again, and a realization hit her. It was so bizarre that it caused her to pause in utter disbelief. Sakura picked up her pace, and hurried in the direction of the tug on her senses. Her eyes widened slightly, when she stopped several feet away from the entrance. It, like most of the city, had undergone changes as well. The wooden gate door slabs were gone, and had been replaced by two huge double doors that could be drawn open by a pulley. They were left open instead of barred shut like they used to be. Sakura could see the dirt road that led out of the city. From her position she could see the merchant carts slowly making their way towards the village, and leaving it just the same.

There was also a guard station, that was attended just by two shinobi men. She remembered that the Captain of the Guard usually had entire squad of men or two, that had taken shifts. She caught the glimpses of shadows on top of the city wall and realized that they probably kept more lookouts in more subtly hidden locations. Her breath stilled in her throat. She felt it then. A niggle against the edge of her senses, a feeling of recognition. Suddenly there was a flash of white that blurred past the edge of her vision. The subtle scent of fresh rain tickled her nostrils, causing them to flare slightly. She turned to face the Hokage's Tower, her green eyes searching for a glimpse of the ANBU captain.

A hard breeze whipped at her tresses, and out of her peripheral a flash of black blazed past her, before blinking out of view. They were almost like shadowy wraiths, she thought to herself. She could sense his chakra signature heading in the direction of the tower, but she had to strain to feel it. It was almost like he was trying to conceal it. A subtle smile touched her lips before she knew she was even doing it, "So he is home." With that realization came a little bit of nervousness as well. Her lips thinned out flat.

Sakura decided she was going to go back to the shrine, whether Hana liked it or not. She'd been putting it off, but she needed to air out the small home, and get things prepared for him to move in. Quickly she made her way up the hill. The feline in question was laying prostrate on the porch, her sides rising and falling, giving away the fact she was sound asleep. She shut the gate behind her quietly, gently setting it in on the latch as not to disturb Hana. The cat's black ears twitched slightly but it seemed she was still lost in slumber.

Tip toeing over the cat, she nearly tip-toed into the small, humble shrine. She set about opening all the windows to air the building out. Room by room she thoroughly cleaned every nook and cranny she could find. The strong odor from the cleaning solvents had Hana padding inside, her amber eyes blinking off sleep and her whiskers twitching. She tilted her head at Sakura, "What are you doing?"

Wiping her arm against her sweat laden brow, Sakura looked down at her companion and then replied, "I am trying to get things prepared for _his _move in," she broke off and then sighed, "I hadn't really thought about it like I should have. I've been distracted with all the training I've undergone."

"You keep this place pretty clean. I don't think you really need go through all that trouble."

Sakura shook her head, "It's not that it's dirty in here -- but things need to be done, so that another person can live here comfortably."

Hana groused, still grumpy from her nap, "Yeah but that still doesn't explain why you pulled out all those chemicals."

"If I'm going to do it. I might as well do things right." Sakura waved the cat away.

"Suit yourself. I'm going back outside. I can't stand the smell of that stuff," Hana complained before turning around to do just that.

Sakura shook her head, but then immediately went back to work.

It was like this that she passed the next couple days. She pulled up the weeds around the porch, and cleaned the hard wood floors until the gleamed. She swept, and washed the curtains. She took the old rug from the living room and took it outside to beat the dust out of it. She finally pulled out the clothes from her parent's closet and put away the items that wouldn't be needed. Even though it would provide more room Sakura didn't have the heart to throw their things away. She kept her mother's dresses and ceremonial garments and hung them up in the small closet in her small room.

Time flew by all too quickly. Before she knew it, she was opening her eyes against the bright morning sun filtering into her room on the date of her impending marriage.

She lay in her bed for several long moments. The finality that would be that day was almost too much for her to take in. When she finally rolled out of the bed, Sakura strove for normality. She bathed, she cooked and ate breakfast. She fed the cat. Sakura was uncertain as to the set time as Itachi had only informed her of the date. Waiting for him to fetch her could possibly make her insane by noon. She dressed in a simple dark hunter green knee length dress. She also plaited her hair into a long, neat braid. She knew she looked a bit austere, but it reflected a confidence she wished to project.

By the time the knock on the door echoed, Sakura was a mass of nerves. Swallowing hard, she opened the door. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't for Itachi to be standing there. She had thought perhaps there would be an escort sent. She felt more than saw his eyes scan her pale face. Sakura knew there was bags under her eyes. She hadn't slept very well the night before. Sakura knew she was a bit pallid. She hadn't been able to eat much more than a slice of toast and if she was lucky three sips of tea.

Itachi's tenor pulled her wavering attention to him, "Are you ready? The preparations are complete. The Hokage is waiting for us."

Sakura's eyes roamed over the length of his body. He too, looked solemn in the solid black ensemble he wore. He wore a simple long sleeved shirt and matching pair of pants. He wore boots instead of his usual shinobi issued sandals. She had to admit, he looked confident and at ease. Her lips thinned. It was now or never, she thought to herself. Licking her lower lip in a nervous gesture that drew his gaze to her mouth. His gaze rose to meet hers once more, waiting for her response.

"Yes. I am. Let's get this done with."

"Aa."

As they traversed the streets, Sakura rubbed her damp palms against her skirt. Kami, she didn't remember ever being so nervous in her life. She was just going to sign the registry for goodness sake. It wasn't like she was going to have to swear an oath before an audience. She was grateful for the arm he offered her. Even if it was him, the warmth of touch helped steady the jittery feeling in her stomach. For a few moments they traveled in amiable silence. Unfortunately that was broken by the last person Sakura had the patience to deal with that morning.

"Itachi-kun!" an annoyingly familiar feminine wail echoed loudly through the streets.

A blur of busty blonde barreled straight into her back. Sakura stumbled forward and nearly tripped into the middle of the road. Sakura whipped around, red-faced with rising anger. The Yamanaka woman was cuddling up against Itachi's side like a cat that had just been introduced to catnip. The woman purred seductively up into Itachi's face, "What are you doing today Itachi-kun?"

Sakura arched a brow at her husband-to-be. She could tell by the stiff set of his lips, he wasn't in the mood either.

Clearing her throat when Itachi didn't speak up, the pink haired woman strode forward and stopped directly in front of them.

Yamanaka sent Sakura a get lost glare.

"What do you want Forehead?"

"I'm sorry I didn't get your full name the last time we met," Sakura queried politely. She could feel Itachi's eyes on her. She was getting irritated with his lack of response to the annoying, clingy female. It was almost as if he wanted to see what she would do. It only further serve to aggravate her.

"It's Ino, but Yamanaka-san to you." She smiled in a self-satisfied and superior manner down into Sakura's face.

"Well you see, _Ino-pig," _she drawled slowly her tone dripping with acid, waiting for the words to register in the other female's brain. Rage filled blue riveted on Sakura. Now she had the woman's full attention. Her lips tugged into that smirk that spelled trouble. Out of the corner of her vision she could see Itachi tense slightly. She quipped in a low, dark tone that forced Ino to really look at her, "As much as I'd like to watch your parody of how to be Konoha's number one slut, let's not and say we did hmm?" Sakura's sharp green orbs did a slow hike of the woman's violet shorts, and tight matching top that showed the length of her toned stomach.

"How dare you?!" Ino's face purpled in rage, and took a step forward as if she was contemplating in engaging the smaller woman in a physical fight.

"Uchiha-sama and I happen to be late for a meeting with the Hokage -- who is at this time waiting for us." Sakura's lips pursed, "We have marriage documents to sign. You are holding us up. I cannot believe a kuniochi like yourself would force others to waste the Hokage's valuable time."

Ino's face drained pale at Sakura's softly spoken words. Her ire forgotten for the moment, she ducked her chin to glare at the offending pinkette. Then her ponytail whipped as she turned to stared up into stoic visage of the male an unspoken question in her eyes. Her tight grip on him loosened considerably.

"It is as she says."

Sakura visibly rolled her eyes at him. He wasn't being very helpful in this situation. She could tell the blonde was about to deliver a flurry of questions, that Sakura really had no inclination to deal with.

She announced flippantly, "Well, I'll be at the Hokage's office waiting for you Uchiha-sama. I do not have the desire, nor the inclination to play the mind games you shinobi seem to be so fond of."

Turning back in the direction of the tower, Sakura strode away from the irritating pair. This really wasn't what she had in mind for today.

"No I don't believe you! Come back here Forehead!"

Sakura just kept walking as if she hadn't heard her. There was no way she was dealing with that woman's emotional issues. She believed that issue lay completely on Itachi's lap. It wasn't her fault he'd never set the vexing woman straight. It was his problem. Not hers.

_"Ninpo; Mind transfer jutsu!"_

The shaman felt her body suddenly jar to a grinding halt. She felt the encroaching fingers of foreign chakra trying to force her into unconsciousness. Her vision blanked out and she could no longer see her outer surroundings. Gripping her head with her heads, she let out a harsh grunt. She staggered and when she lifted her chin and opened her eyes. She found herself somewhere completely unexpected. She realized she was standing on the familiar turquoise dais much like the one in the inner sanctum of the Guardian's Temple. She stood at one end, and Ino on the other. Sakura understood then. They were inside her. The thought was disconcerting and within moments after realizing, anger started to simmer beneath the surface of the cool facade she straightened to portray. At least for the moment.

Sakura tilted her chin at an angle. The timbre of her tone was icy, "You would _dare_ to force your mind into my body?" The connotations of what the other young woman had just done underlined the boiling ire she felt.

"W...where am I?"

She didn't miss the fear that was laced into Ino's voice. However she was too enraged to pay it any mind.

"What am I doing here? This wasn't supposed to happen."

"Let me explain something simple to you Yamanaka-_san_," Sakura marched forward boldly and grabbed the purple lapels of the other woman's outfit. She shook the blonde forcing her to look into fierce green, "I am not someone you want to mess with."

"What makes you think you're so great? Why would he even want someone like you?"

"I do not have the patience to deal with your jealousy issues. Did you ever stop to think, that maybe you should be asking Uchiha-sama these things? I'm a near stranger to you. I'm sorry if you can't believe the facts as they are. It's just how it is. You will just have to accept it and move on." Sakura's terse words made the other woman tense up. She released her hold and backed away.

"I don't like your 'I'm better than you are attitude,'" Ino pointed an angry finger at Sakura.

"The feeling is mutual on the subject of _attitudes_."

"Guh! How do I get out of here?" Yamanaka's eyes darted around, gazing into the darkness looking for an exit.

Sakura strode to the exact center of the dais, before placing a hand on her hip. "Before you leave. I want you to know one thing. You've crossed me once," she lifted her forefinger indicting the number, "Do it again. And I will make you regret it with every fiber in your soul."

"Oh," Ino tilted her head in an arrogant manner, "You aren't a kunoichi. What do you think you can do?"

The shaman lifted her hand open palm facing the blonde. Inside her mind, Sakura was hyper aware of the chakra flowing through her and it was easier for her to grab a hold of it -- in this sacred place of the mind and heart. She folded the digits into a firm fist. Yellow chakra bled, dripping from her skin almost like liquid. It hit the tile, forming a pool at her feet.

Ino's jaw fell open when the whites of Sakura's eyes disappeared beneath glowing emerald.

A strong gust of wind rose in a vortex around Sakura, the whispers of the elements responded to her call. Even if this was inside her mind, they came to her through her bond with the Guardians. They were after all, sentient spirits. The force of the energy whipped at her braid. Her green skirt billowed wildly, almost violently. The puddle at her feet rose, suspended, and became almost serpentine in shape. It wrapped around her ankle and trailed all the way up her slender form gracefully. It arced over her arm. In her grasp a rod began to shimmer and take shape.

The yellow cracked and fell away in shards. The pieces hit the smooth surface at her feet, the sound of impact like shattering glass. A gnarled staff, covered in green trailing vines appeared in her white-knuckled hold.

"What in the hell are you?"

"I am a shaman. I do not like that you seem to believe that you can bully people that you feel have no way to defend themselves," Sakura responded curtly. The wind around her died down, but her eyes retained that strange pupil-less green. She pointed the end of the staff straight at Ino, "I have merely shown you I am not helpless. But know this -- if I ever catch you doing what you've done to me to_ any_ of the original people born in Ixion. I will not be merciful."

Before Ino could protest Sakura drove the tail of the rod in her hand into the tile at her sandal clad feet. As soon as the wood met the shiny surface, the scenery around them roiled and rippled. The dais beneath their feet cracked and burst into brilliant sparkling remnants. As Ino fell away, eyes wide and mouth open. Sakura added softly, yet the sound echoed ominously, "My words to you are not a threat. They are an oath."

When Sakura's eyes blinked open, she found herself standing in the middle of the street. There were many sets of curious eyes on her person. Itachi was looking at her with a half-lidded thoughtful expression. Glancing to the side, she realized that the vendor table on her left had been completely smashed. On her direct right, a cart that had held apples was knocked over on it's side. The ruby fruits were scattered everywhere, some were still rolling from the chaos that had erupted from around her. The Uchiha was holding a limp Ino, who was barely beginning to awaken.

Sakura was the first person Ino gazed upon. The fear and anger in her eyes told Sakura that the blonde had heard her parting words to her. Ino jackknifed out of Itachi's hold, "Itachi-kun. That woman – she's..." Ino bent over and coughed, "she's evil."

The Uchiha spoke to Ino but his eyes were still on the disheveled and icy eyed pinkette, "You attacked her Yamanaka."

"She's not normal." Ino argued weakly.

"Sakura is not a shinobi. She is a shaman."

"You already know?" the blonde gaped at the stoic male in utter disbelief.

"Aa."

Sakura's orbs narrowed tellingly on the male. She was not in the mood to stand around all day to listen to the kunoichi pitch a fit. The vendors were eyeing the young woman with obvious trepidation. She arched a brow at them only to watch them take a step back from her, "I apologize for the damages to your wares. Send the bill to the Uchiha compound. They will cover them."

"Yes ma'am." The two middle-aged men echoed in unison.

It was then Sakura took note that Itachi's eyes were crimson instead of their usual midnight black.

"That was quite the show!" A playful male voice said from behind her.

Sakura turned her head, and found herself staring at the masked nin she met a while back. It was impossible to forget that tell-tale spiky white hair that seemed to crop up and out everywhere. The crinkles around his brown eye was so cheerful it irked her. She grimaced tellingly, "Hello Kakashi. It's been awhile."

He dipped his chin in response. She could see the smile forming beneath the dark material of his mask. Her sharp eyes didn't miss the fact however, that he exchanged a look with someone over her head. She would bet a weeks pay from Ichiraku's that it was with Itachi. Sakura hit her limit of patience for the day. His fake smiling face was making her angrier by the second. Did he think she was an idiot?

Before he couldn't even think to react to the sudden, unexpected movement from the small woman. She reached up, the flat of her palm hit his nose as she grabbed his face and shoved him back, "I'm really getting pissed the hell off by you damn people!"

He stumbled back a few steps, looking at her with barely concealed shock. Kakashi had seen the wind whipping a mini storm around her. The copy ninja had used his sharingan to see if he couldn't unveil the odd technique. He hadn't seen anything from her that seemed notable. He was usually good at reading people. He hadn't expected her to become so temperamental with him before he could pry further. He watched her with a deceptive calm while burying his hands into his pockets. "Yare yare, what's the matter Sakura-chan? Can't I say hello?"

Sakura's brow ticked at his attempt to act like he was some innocent bystander. She crossed her arms, her scowl growing by the second, "Look! For Kami's sake! Instead of making eyes with Uchiha-sama over my head -- like I wouldn't be able to notice something so obvious," she watched his eyebrow twitch at that, and her scowl melted into a smirk, "Why don't you just go over and ask him to have a little ninja pow wow? I'm sure he'd love that."

She then turned and pointed at the Uchiha whose eyes were still crimson and wary of her temper, "And next time Itachi! Be a man and speak up! Don't just stand around and wait to see what I'm going to do! I didn't get up today to be your entertainment. Now," She tossed her head as if her hair were loose, the braid swinging wildly with the movement, "I'm going to go sign the register with or without you. The Hokage probably thinks we got lost and fell down a damn ditch somewhere with how long we've made him wait!"

And with that, Sakura was striding down the street grumbling still steaming.

Kakashi gave Itachi a little mock cheery wave before ambling away, "Good luck with that one Uchiha-sama! I don't envy you at all."

Itachi glowered at his retreating back, a tiny frown marring the left corner of his lip as Kakashi was practically chortling with every step he took. Ino backed away, uncertain of what to say to the Uchiha. When he looked down at her, crimson melted back to black. He asked her in a voice that was near a whisper, "What happened Yamanaka?" He was well aware of what the jutsu she used on Sakura entailed. He kept a sharp pinpoint on Sakura's chakra signature, but still he kept the majority of his attention honed in on the blonde.

He watched her gulp nervously. The pupils in her eyes were still somewhat dilated. She mumbled while wringing her hands, "I've never seen anything like it. She -- she isn't like us at all. Even though it was inside her conscious, she held quite a bit of control over it. It was like a storm in there. Her emotions were volatile, intense, but tightly leashed and under control. The way she manipulated the chakra," the blonde shook her head as if she still couldn't believe it, "it felt like a living, breathing entity. There were voices. It was almost as if even the wind itself were alive."

"Hn."

"You really are going to marry that person?"

He dipped his head, "Yes."

"She won't fit in well with a clan's way of life. She won't be controllable. At least, when I was inside her subconscious. She not only had strong mental fortitude but –"

"Indeed. I know." Itachi agreed cryptically. He gave her a short, clipped dismissal before turning on his heel.

Ino watched the Uchiha clan heir walk away from her. Standing there in the middle of the street. She was forced to see the determination in his steps towards the tower. The gesture in itself was very telling, and she found herself forced to accept the truth of it.

-o-

Sakura decided to wait for Itachi at the front entrance. As annoyed as she was with the whole ordeal, she knew she couldn't just waltz up there and get married by herself. She seriously doubted the old man would have been amused if she had tried to do just that. Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin when Itachi suddenly landed in front of her, his knees bending with the impact. He slowly straightened his eyes searching out hers.

Her lips thinned with irritation when he smirked knowingly down at her. He was amused, she realized. She quipped caustically, "Are you done with all your little side trips Uchiha-sama?"

"Itachi."

The softly spoken name took her aback. "What?"

"You agreed that you would call me by my given name."

"I did, didn't I?" the scowl marring her features melted away.

Side by side, in thoughtful silence they entered. The nervousness that had left her due to Ino Yamanaka, was now coming back as her ire ebbed. Her stomach clench and tightened into what felt like a hundred little knots. Sakura struggled to maintain a nonchalant demeanor. She just knew by the way Itachi kept glancing over at her face that she was failing miserably. She halted right outside the door to the Hokage's office. Breathing in a deep nerve calming breath, Sakura squared her shoulders.

"Are you all right?" Itachi queried eyeing her pale features thoughtfully.

"I'm perfectly fine. I should think that it would be normal for anyone in my position to be at least slightly nervous." Sakura bristled defensively.

"Hn."

Before she could further comment, he knocked. At Sarutobi's loud beckon, Itachi grasped the handle and opened the door. Lifting her chin, her eyes swept into the office. The Sandaime was sitting behind his desk waiting for them. The acrid scent of pipe tobacco lingered in the air, though the pipe was not lit. His gaze caught hers, and Sakura held it firmly before striding into the center of the room.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it," the Hokage's thin smile alerted Sakura to the fact that the old man had gotten impatient.

"I was beginning to wonder the same myself," Sakura groused under her breath. She ignored Itachi's sharp loook. Lifting her chin, she met the Hokage's eyes as she walked over to his desk with purpose and held out her hand, "Just give me the pen. Show me the documents. Let's sign them and we won't take up anymore of your time."

"The two of you won't be having a ceremony?" the Sandaime arched a brow in Itachi's direction.

Just as Sakura opened her mouth to respond, Itachi spoke in her stead, "No. My clan is still adjusting to the changes and working on getting all the families moved in. There might be something later if the elders decide they want to celebrate it. However at this time, neither Lady Haruno or I have anything planned. Should I have brought another person to stand as witness?"

"No," the Hokage shook his head, "This is fine. I have the documents ready. All I need for you two to do is to sign them. I'll have them entered into the register. And that will be it."

At that moment, Sakura realized that though she had mostly expected to be alone in the journey of life. She never would have believed for a moment, she would have married anyone in such a sterile, cold manner. Yet, at the same time, she was relieved at the simplicity of it. Things were complicated enough at the moment as it was. She couldn't bear to have a couple dozen sets of piercing eyes on her today. She'd implode.

"Lady Haruno," Itachi's tenor brought her out of her musings. She blinked out of her mental haze and looked up at him. He gestured to the papers before adding, "I've signed my portion."

That was quick! Sakura looked down at the surface of the desk and took note of the still drying ink. Squinting, she lifted the papers and scanned them quickly. It caused both males in the room to raise a brow at her actions. She was just making certain there were no hidden clauses in this agreement. She'd be damned if she would sign something that she would be giving up any of her rights. Satisfied that everything looked legit, she quickly penned her name on the blank line. Her hand shook but by the time she finished, the appendage had grown steady.

The Hokage smiled wanly at her as she handed him the sheaf of papers, "Thank you Lady Haru - Excuse me... Lady Uchiha. If you decide to have a proper ceremony, then you'll have to file a claim with the office to get a copy of the documents to complete that process."

Sakura dipped her chin, in a polite gesture. "I understand. Thank you."

"Is there anything else that you need of us?" Itachi asked the Sandaime.

"No. Congratulations to the both of you. I wish you well."

The woman thought that was the sincerest she'd ever heard the old man. She was startled when Itachi put his hand on her lower back as he turned to usher her out. "Thank you Hokage-sama."

She knew her face was red by the time they exited the office. He had removed the appendage, but she could still feel the warmth that had been left behind. When she snuck a peek at him, he looked as nonchalant as ever. Sakura wondered if there was anything that unnerved the male at her side. He had just married her, and he seemed completely at ease. She really hadn't expected anything. But she was rather jealous of his composed manner. Once outside, back out in the open, Sakura let out a breath of pent up air. She stopped on the top of the steps and spoke, "So um -- I'm going to go back to the house. Unless..." she paused swallowing nervously, "You need assistance in bringing your belongings over."

"It has already been done."

"What? Done? How -- we just," she tried to wrap her brain around his statement.

"I had servants deliver my things to the residence."

The idea of strangers inside the shrine while she was away made something in the young woman rankle. Her left eyebrow ticked. "I think Naruto was correct. The only reason you swayed your father about remaining in the shrine, instead of moving into the compound -- was because you couldn't wait to get the hell out."

Itachi paused mid-step. He glanced back at her. His face shuttered and unreadable. "Compound life can become suffocating -- at times."

Was he agreeing with her or making a statement? A vein popped out on her temple and throbbed. She wondered if he was trying to vex her on purpose. She rubbed at the skin with her fingers.

"My mother would like us to join them for dinner tonight. She is still upset that we didn't have a traditional ceremony."

"I understand. Do you want to go?" Sakura put a finger to her lip thoughtfully. She fell in step next to the taller male.

"Hn."

"That's not really an answer Itachi." She sent him a sideways glare, "If you don't want to go. Just say so. I'm not Miss Social myself, so whatever you decide is fine. Really."

"We will go, then."

Sakura rolled her eyes heavenward. "See? Was that so hard?"

"I was not certain if you would want to -- after..." he let the sentence hang, his perceptive eyes searching out her face.

Green orbs widened at the admission. He must have been concerned that she wouldn't want to go after what had happened to her the last time she was in the compound. She realized belatedly. His sudden uncertainty also clued her in, that he was nervous as well. He was just far better at hiding it than she was. Her face softened noticeably. It was probably the most thoughtful thing she'd heard from the man yet. Well, kind of. At least he meant well in the intent of his words.

She met his thoughtful gaze with her own, before turning her face towards the direction of the shrine. It had always been her been her home. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for him to move from place to place like a nomad, for most of his life. She always had her village to protect. The awkward feeling squeezing her insides lessened considerably, and in silence they trekked up the well beaten path.

At the shrine, Sakura's sharp eyes scanned the perimeter, searching for anything out of place. Hana was waiting for them on the porch. The young woman could tell the feline was slightly peeved by the way the fur sat ruffled on her neck. Her collar was skewed and the tiny bell was inverted.

"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized to the cat, ignoring the perceptive set of orbs following her movements. Sakura knelt in front of Hana, "I didn't know that anyone would be stopping by while we were gone." Reaching out, she settled the pink accessory and bell back into their rightful positions.

Hana didn't respond. She dipped her chin, and Sakura knew that they would have a conversation about it later. It would probably be wiser to wait to inform Itachi that Hana was sentient. For the moment, it just seemed as if Sakura were merely greeting her pet. The black cat bumped the crown of her head into Sakura's open palm. She let loose a loud purr and Sakura responded by caressing the animal. Rising from her position, Sakura opened the door and stepped aside to let Itachi pass. She immediately noticed his things left behind by servants, sitting in an organized pile of boxes and a mish mash of other various items.

The young woman opened the curtains, and lifted the window to let in the early afternoon breeze and sunshine.

"It looks different in here."

Turning to assess him, Sakura's lips twitched into the semblance of a smile, "Yes well, it should. I cleaned this place from top to bottom." She waved a hand at him, before facing her parents' old room. Opening the sliding shoji doors, she glanced back at the pile on the floor. It really wasn't very much. Not as much as she would have thought he'd bring with him. Brushing past him, doing her best to ignore him for the moment. She bent to pick up the first box. A hand on her shoulder caused her to stop and look up.

"I will do this."

Nodding Sakura stepped aside, breaking the physical contact. She cleared her throat, "I will make us some tea."

Itachi glanced at her before dipping his head in acknowledgement. He turned away and began to shuffle through the boxes. By the time the tea kettle was whistling, Itachi had all the boxes stacked and neatly organized in the room.

A slight blush suffused her cheeks as he sat down at the table. She sat down the condiments, and served the tea. The red in her face deepened as she struggled to bring up a topic she needed to discuss before nightfall. The sooner she got it off her chest, the better she would feel. It had been eating at her mind all week. Clearing her throat again, her eyes averted to the grainy wooden surface of the table. "I know the furniture in the room is very old. I'm sorry about that. I didn't have the money to purchase a new bed."

"Hn. It is of no matter. I can have the one from my previous residence brought over."

Gnawing on her lower lip, Sakura sucked in a deep and calming breath. Her gaze slowly hiked a path up to his impassive features. "Itachi, I..."

The clink of his cup as he set it down brought her halting discourse to a complete halt.

"Sakura. Are you having second thoughts?"

"No, it's nothing like that. It's just," her eyes darted to the side to look at a suddenly interesting knot in the wall, "I wanted to discuss with you, that before, we ahh -- err... consummate this marriage. I would like for us to get to know each other better first and..." Sakura buried her face in her hands completely embarrassed. Her elbows dangerously close to knocking her beverage over. She couldn't believe those words had just passed through her lips.

His voice was surprisingly gentle when he finally spoke, "We have just taken a huge step and made a life long commitment. Not only do I agree that would be for the best. I would also never force you to do something that you are not ready for. I am not that kind of man Sakura."

Her palms slowly inched down her blushing cheeks. Her eyes peeking over the tips of her fingers at his serious face. She couldn't help the relief that filtered onto her features. A heartfelt sigh left her.

"I've noticed that your um," She paused unnerved by his unwavering regard, but she wanted to change the subject quickly, "job – can keep you away for weeks at a time."

"Yes. Normally this is the case. However I will be confined to the city more probably until the start of summer."

"I see," her eyes darted past him to Hana who was sitting on the floor. The cat was shaking her head at the girl. Well, there went some of her lesson time.

"Disappointed?" Itachi deduced easily by the look on her face "You were looking forward to my absence due to my duties."

A nervous laugh left her. "No, that's not it." She brought up something else that she'd thought about, "I really do not have much in this house in the way of food, and other necessities. I know you've had your personal things brought over. I've always lived very simple lifestyle. As you can very well see for yourself. I would like you to compose a list of some of the things you like to eat. That way, when I go into the village I can pick those items up."

"You are being amiable. I expected that you would behave in that typical brash manner of yours."

A line of irritated red colored the bridge of her nose at the slightly surprised note in his voice. She leveled her eyes and locked his gaze with hers. "Would that not be childish of me? Did I not agree to marry you? Why would I behave like a recalcitrant brat?" She shook her head and continued, "You gave me a choice. I chose to accept it."

"Hn."

Sakura was beginning to realize that sound meant he was analyzing something in that head of his.

"Your parents would be proud of you," Hana's voice interjected drawing the attention of the occupants of the room.

Itachi stiffened and glanced back at the black cat who returned his stare with those uncanny amber eyes of hers.

"Yes. You can't stand not knowing. Don't think too hard boy! I wouldn't want your head to explode," Hana stood to all fours before ambling into Sakura's room.

Sakura was doing her best not to laugh at the look on Itachi's face as he watched the cat through narrowed eyes. Hana was going to make things hard on her. She knew that Itachi suspected something about that cat, he just didn't know what answers he should be seeking.

"Hana isn't," she took a deep breath to push back the laughter that wanted to spill out, "used to strangers."

"I see."

"Stop lying to the man Sakura. Just let him try and figure it out on his own." Hana yelled from her room knowing fully well that it would sound like angry yowling to the nin.

Itachi's eyes zeroed in on Sakura's suddenly stiff features.

"Fleas. It's the season you know." She giggled nervously and waved a dismissive hand in his direction. Sakura mentally cursed the feline when Itachi's visage went back into it's usual unreadable mask. She sipped at her now lukewarm tea before asking, "When is your mother expecting us over for dinner?"

"In a few hours. There really is no set time."

Setting her cup down in the saucer. She watched the contents ripple. Unfolding her legs, she stood to her feet. Peering down at the man across the table, she put her hands on her hips, "All right. I know you probably already know the layout of the property. But I shall give you a tour anyway."

He arched a brow in that aristocratic way of his, before following suit. "Aa."

"Aa yourself." She teased in an easy tone before leading the way out. The strands that had come loose from the tight braid, danced on the light breeze whistling past.

She stepped off of the wraparound porch. She glanced back at him, "I'm certain you recall the legend I spoke to you of."

"Yes."

"My family did, in fact found this village."

"The shrine does not look that old," Itachi pointed out quickly finding fault with that logic.l

"It's been built, knocked down and then rebuilt over the years. The porch here – was actually built by my father," her eyes held a faraway look as she explained, "He even let me hammer in the first nail. I remember being so excited. My mom talked him into buying that washer and dryer." She pointed at the back corner of the porch at the corner of the shrine, "The property does sit far out from town, but I still get electricity from the village up here."

"I noticed. It is convenient."

Sakura led him to the bathhouse and opened the old rickety wooden door. She tugged on the chain that hung below the bulb and clicked on the light. She stepped aside to allow Itachi room to pass.

Itachi took note of the plain white porcelain sink and mirror. A mug with a toothbrush sat on the corner next to rolled up tube of toothpaste. The toilet sat off to the side. A roll of toilet paper sat on a grooved out ledge next to it. But at the back he could see the smoothed out blue and gray granite. Steam seemed to sit on top of the swirling water. On the top ledge that looked as if it had been sanded down by human hands, sat a shampoo and conditioner set. The plastic bottles were partially concave from use. A bar of half-used soap sat next to them. A dowel rod was screwed into the aging wall. It held a towel and wash cloth for use. It had enough room for another set, which Sakura had left folded out for him on top of a hamper bin.

"There is a constant flow of clean water?"

"Yes. It's always been like that as far as I can remember. It's a natural spring. It's constantly bringing in fresh hot water. I use a mineralized based soap, and shampoo and conditioner so it doesn't pollute the underground water. The sewer that leads from the toilet and sink is completely separate and is apart of the village lines as is the water that goes to them. I have no idea how my family managed to do all that. But I'm grateful they did. It can be kind of a pain in the ass though," Sakura's lips twitched with amusement, "It sucks when you have to -- uh -- relieve yourself in the middle of the night, and you have to stumble all the way out here. Especially during the winter."

"It must be pleasant to have a personal hot spring."

Sakura was gratified to see that the deep lines in his cheeks had relaxed. "It does have it's perks."

She shut the door behind the male as he quit the room. Sakura pointed out to the empty small field of grass behind the house, "My mother used to plant a garden back here. I thought about doing one as well, but..."

"You've been busy with other things."

"Yes," She nodded at him, her smile fading, "I had other concerns."

"How old were you?" he suddenly asked her out of the blue.

"Excuse me?" Sakura glanced at him taken aback by the sudden question.

"When you lost your parents?"

"Oh," she paused mid step and looked away from him. Her eyes settled on the white wall that followed her property line. She was a bit taken back by the personal query. But then again, she should have expected him to eventually ask. It was just sooner than she expected. She wondered if these nin had ever heard of a thing called personal space. Sakura's lips firmed, "I was ten."

"Your aunt didn't take you in? I know you mentioned you just learned of the relation recently."

Sakura didn't see the harm in explaining things to him now. After all, he already knew so much. The vegetation crunched beneath her feet as she began to trek to the top of the hill, where she held all her ceremonial rites. Silence reigned between them until the crested the top of the path. When her breathing slowed she finally began to speak, "Koharu Utatane who is my great aunt, and Homura Mitokado the old councilman begrudgingly allowed me to stay on the property after my parents were discovered dead. I refused to move off the shrine."

"You lived here alone?"

"Yes, and when my aunt realized that I was maintaining the shrine, and still carrying on ceremonial rites that I had very little understanding about," Sakura turned around facing the village. Her focus falling on the carved face of the Third Hokage in the once pristine cliff side, "I was ordered to keep everything about what I did a secret. When you went to question the villagers about me, they were not lying about knowing nothing. I wasn't allowed to speak about it."

"So you encouraged their rumors."

Sakura could almost see the light switch on behind those dark eyes of his. She dipped her head lightly in agreement, "That is the truth of it. However, I held a lot of pride in my heritage. I considered myself a Gate Keeper, just as I thought my parents' were," she paused thinking over the abrupt changes in her once one track life, "The council wanted me to completely disband from my duties. They tried to tell me it was better to blend in with the rest of the world. Then, the Konoha Alliance came."

"Why did you come out and attack us that day?'

"The city guard summoned me. I was led to believe that your arrival was apart of my duties to oversee. That you had come as _my _enemies. The council later informed me, that it was because they wanted me to secure my position amongst you. I suppose it was simply was because in their eyes, I didn't fit in anywhere. I honestly think they wanted me to see the error in my ways," she chuckled at the memory and then gave him a half-shrug, "They knew that the times were changing. Fire Country was and is forming around us. A new capital led by the military strength of a powerful Daiymo is on the rise. They wanted to become apart of the newly forming country instead of trying to resist. It is better to survive, I suppose. The Council of the former Ixion was looking out for the overall good of the community. And the Konoha Alliance provided the military strength to ease the merging, and we in turn gave your families a place to come home to."

All the offhand, tart declarations Sakura had voiced to him had finally, for the most part connected and made sense. Truly, in her simplicity was her complexity. Her prickly exterior was merely her defense to keep the rest of the world out which had had ascertained before, but the answers to the reasons behind her odd behavior clicked into place. He still couldn't understand why she was suddenly being so forthright with him, if she still considered her duties sacred, it didn't quite fit the picture she was painting. He knew she didn't truly trust him yet. Something would have had to change for her to even be willing to tell him all this.

"You are being unusually open about yourself." He stated his thoughts out loud in a cool tone.

Sakura turned her back on him, so that he couldn't see the emotion she knew she held in her eyes. She watched a flock of birds flying out over the canopy of dense forest below. "I could find no reason not to be. I have come to realize that I was right about some things, but also – that I was wrong about others. Some of it was good for me, I suppose. It kept me going after I lost my parents. But I'm an adult now, and I have come to understand that I cannot follow the same path my parents did. I have had to learn how to accept change as it comes, and how to let the past go. It was a hard lesson."

She could feel Itachi's intense gaze on her. The wind whistled past her ears. The soft murmurs beneath the surface of the element somehow soothed her emotions. Her tension relaxed and she craned her neck to glance back at him. A tenuous smile formed on her lips, "I sound like an old woman. But really that's all there is to it. I understand you are a shinobi and you look for the obscure. The secrets people hide. It's your job to --but," she finally turned around to face him. She swept her hand down her frame, indicating herself, "Itachi – with me. What you see is what you get. Just like every other person in the world, I have been shaped to fit my surroundings no matter how much I fought against it. Nothing more, nothing less."

Itachi suddenly strode towards her. His movement reminded Sakura of a predator. His eyes never left her face as he stalked towards her. She stood frozen in place, uncertain of his intentions.

"You are not nearly as simple as you make yourself out to be."

"I don't think anyone could really be described as simple," Sakura verbally evaded that statement.

He stopped directly in front of her, peering down into her somewhat startled features. Sakura was hard pressed not to step back. She didn't understand how Itachi was able to go from impassive to so intense in moments. He had all the makings of a clan leader, she thought to herself as she continued to hold his regard.

"There are a lot of things that you still intend to hide."

"Doesn't everyone have their own secrets they wish to keep?" Sakura expression turned hard, "You don't expect me to spill my guts to you all at once. Do you? We still can't even really be considered friends. Hell, we barely make the acquaintance scale."

"Yet we are husband and wife."

"That we are," Sakura choked out but then poked him in his chest with a hard accusing finger, "I know the only reason why you wanted to marry me was because you wanted to keep an eye on me. Or maybe it's because I hold the appeal of a puzzle box that you want to solve."

The look in his eyes suddenly became closed off to her again. He grasped her wrist with his hand and pulled the offending digit aside. His touch sent nervous tingles ghosting up her arm. She yanked the appendage from his hold and finally took a step back.

The masculine smirk that suddenly adorned the hard mask of his features caused her hackles to rise. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Itachi left her standing there. The spurt of anger she felt drained away from her. Even though she opened up to him, it was just the tip of the iceberg. They had so far to go. There was no trust between them. She knew that as much as she hid things from the world. Itachi was no different then her in that respect. It was quite probable that with all that he'd seen and done, her problems probably seemed rather trivial. She had never had to kill, or watch anyone die. Sakura had no idea what it was like to fight for her life.

The rift of understanding between them felt insurmountable and vast to the young woman. Resolve filled the young woman. Sucking in a lung full of oxygen, she let loose. "ITACHI!" She watched as he turned around to look back up at her. A regal eyebrow was arched at her. A smile stretched the expanse of her lips and she threw back her head and laughed at the look on his face. She sobered and pointed a finger down at him in challenge, "I made the first move. The next one is yours. Do you dare to face it Uchiha?"

Sakura almost swore she witnessed his left eyebrow tick. She sent a saucy smirk at him as she sauntered down to him. She passed him while running her hand down her braid and removing the rubber band at the bottom, setting the tresses free. The wind picked up around her, as if answering an unspoken call. The pink strands unraveled and undulated as the air whipped around her and then just as quickly settled. Her billowing skirt rippled back into place. She glanced over her shoulder at him with a haughty look that would have made any Hyuuga worth their salt proud. "Do not even think for a moment that I'm someone that you'll be able to push around!"

And it was Sakura who left him staring in her wake this time around. The young woman went into the shrine slamming the door behind her as if to pound the message into his brain further. She didn't even turn to look at him when he entered the house. He was as silent as a wraith, but she was beginning to grow used to the feeling of his presence. Grumbling under her breath about 'spilling her guts' and 'rude Uchiha's' she dug through her closet to find something to wear to his family's home for their 'celebration' dinner.

Hana lifted her head, having been disturbed from her nap by the irritated pinkette. "What's got you all up in a tizzy?"

Sakura glared at the feline before slamming the shoji door to her room shut. She ignored the cat's vexing query.

"Sakura?" Hana asked again.

"I'm a damn idiot. That's what!" she replied tersely, her green eyes glittering with anger.

The feline jumped off Sakura's bed and slowly padded her way to the young woman. She asked calmly, "Why do you consider yourself an idiot? What happened?"

"I opened myself up to him like a brainless ninny. I should have known better."

"So soon?"

"Hana, I..." Sakura slumped into a heap onto the floor and cradled her forehead against her palm, "He asked me about mom and dad. He already knows so much. So I didn't see a problem with telling him _mostly_ how things were. I didn't expect anything from him. It's just -- I want to be able to get along with him. I thought it would be stupid of me to be – secretive about things. I was hoping we could at least become friends."

The cat put her paw on the woman's leg, drawing Sakura's eyes down to her. "You've been married all of two hours. If that." Hana announced to her dryly making Sakura feel sheepish, "Your heart is in the right place. You've never had friends – so for you, it's a life lesson you have yet to learn. Don't rush things. Kami Sakura. You are so mature in some ways, and yet so child-like in others."

"Hey!" Sakura gave a playful growl. Then she turned her attention back to the closet trying not to think too much about it. "What do you think I should wear? Should I just go in this green dress?"

"How about you go as what you are?"

"Huh?" Sakura's eyes followed the direction of the cat's gaze and a grin stretched her lips as the idea took hold in her mind, "That's a good idea!"

"You say that as if I never have them."

"It's only been a couple weeks since I discovered that you can talk."

"Good point." Hana hopped back up onto the bed, "Tell me how it goes when you get back."

Running a hand down the maroon material, Sakura replied with a new twinkle in her eyes, "Don't worry. I shall."

**-o-**

**A/N: **Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the positive input that you've been giving me. Until next time, either in this story or in one of the others. Ja! Oh yes, I really don't hate Ino or anything. She seems to get the bad end of the stick in my stories. It's just how it ends up --somehow.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Well here we are again. After all that massive overhaul on my part. I was ready to write again. Thanks for all the amazing reviews and support for this story. And without further ado...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to Naruto. Ect ect, so on and so forth.

**Chapter 8**

The Uchiha's furtive glances spoke volumes. She knew he was less then pleased with her choice of clothing. She had decided to wear the dark cranberry hued hakama pants, and blazer she worn the first day she had met him. The Haruno crest was proudly emblazoned on the back. The silver bells around her wrists tinkled as she put her hair up into a high ponytail. She grinned facetiously at the male, "Does this bring back pleasant memories for you, _darling_?"

"Patronizing people is not how you make friends," Hana murmured lazily from the couch.

"..."

She pointedly ignored Hana's commentary.

"We probably should get going. It's getting rather late -- I'm sure your mother is probably more than ready for us now." Sakura's expression smoothed out into one of seriousness.

They left the small house in silence. She tilted her head to the side slightly, listening to the shrill, loud buzzing noise of the cicadas emerging to herald the arrival of evening. Sakura glanced at the stoic male. His expression was still closed off. She threaded her fingers together and looked away. She lifted her chin, and gazed into the darkening sky. The wind whispered past her ears and for several moments she lost herself to the singing thrum in her blood. She listened to the crunch of gravel beneath her feet. Her nostrils flared as the sweet scent of the spring air fluttered by like a butterfly's wing against her epidermis. By the time she'd reached the inner walls of the Uchiha compound, she felt more relaxed.

Mikoto was the first to greet them both. She embraced her stoic son who returned the gesture. Sakura immediately noticed the slight softening of his hard gaze. Itachi's mother released her son before traipsing over to her new daughter in law. Her brown eyes searched the younger woman's face as if she were searching for something. Disconcerted, Sakura's lips turned up into a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'm glad that you both decided to come."

"Thank you for having us. It was unexpected." Sakura responded still smiling.

Sakura noticed that Itachi's mother had slippers already waiting for them at the entrance. She had the feeling that if they hadn't shown up, Mikoto may have very well went up to the shrine to retrieve them herself.

"Your choice of attire is – as interesting as always," Mikoto continued to eye Sakura thoughtfully.

"Thank you. I'm glad you like it."

Sakura's flippant response caused the woman to frown at her. Mother and son exchanged a telling glance.

"You both really just made it on time. I just finished cooking about fifteen minutes before you arrived. I hope it hasn't gotten too cold."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Itachi reassured his mother, surprising Sakura with the way he spoke gently to the older woman before giving her a small, genuine smile.

They entered the small dining room. Fugaku was already seated and waiting for them. It looked to Sakura that he had an early start on the sake bottle. He lifted the small saucer towards his eldest before taking a sip. He sent Sakura a hard look but then averted his eyes to his wife for the moment. Mikoto had Sakura promptly seated next to Itachi so that she was facing opposite of his father. Sasuke ambled in silently and plopped down at the end of the table nearest the door. He for the most part seemed pretty disinterested.

Dinner was mostly a quiet affair. The only sound being the soft tinkle of bells dangling on her wrists and the clink of the dinnerware as they ate. As she consumed her chicken and rice, she started to chant the Bijuu rhyme in the safe recesses of her mind to distract herself from the uncomfortable silence. She felt herself being the subject of perusal from the couple across the table. Sakura chose to ignore it and instead continued to divert her attention in the safe recesses of her mind. When she finished her dinner, she set the napkin aside and said in as gracious of a manner as she was capable of, "Thank you. It was delicious."

Sakura had never felt so awkward in her life when all their gazes settled on her flushed features.

"That is a very – unique clan crest." Fugaku cleared his throat finally speaking for the first time to her that evening.

She heard the inquisitive tone in his voice and she responded promptly, "It is the Haruno crest. It simply represents the eternal, and unending circle of life. It is a sign of respect and honor in my clan."

Itachi's father leaned forward, curious by that conjecture, "That's unusual."

"What is?"

"Usually clan symbols depict a specific strength only inherent to that family."

"I see." Sakura glanced at the blue patch on his arm with the Uchiha symbol, "I realize that the Uchiha crest is a fan. But what does it represent?"

"It dictates the fanning of the flames." Itachi answered for his father, "The Uchiha clan specializes predominately in fire jutsus."

Sakura pointed at her eyes, "But I thought whatever that – Sharingan thing is, is your clan's ability." She would never have thought their symbol would represent something of an elemental nature.

"Not all of our clan members possess the ability to activate the Sharingan," Fugaku explained in a cool manner much like his eldest son's, "But for a clan ninja to be seen as an adult, they must be able to utilize a fire element jutsu."

Sakura had no idea what a _'jutsu' _was, but she decided to roll with it. "That's interesting." She thought about the little mini flame patch that she seen on Hinata's jacket, and the red swirly thing on the back of Naruto's orange and black blazer jacket. It must be a nin thing, she decided and left it at that.

"So getting back to the Haruno crest," Fugaku lifted his cup of saki, taking a small sip. His dark eyes watching her from the brim as he removed the porcelain from his lips, "This eternal, and unending circle of life. How does it pertain to your familial line?"

The pink haired woman tilted her head to the side, green eyes narrowing on the chief of the Konoha police. She wondered if he trying to goad her in some way. Or perhaps he was seeking information from her. The right corner of her mouth lifted, "Uchiha-sama -- Are you questioning the strength of my_ misplaced _pride?"

"You are married into the Uchiha clan, and yet you still wear your clan's crest. On this compound."

Mikoto sent a nervous look in her husband's direction. Sasuke looked decidedly bored. But by the tense posture of his shoulders, Sakura knew he was unnerved by his father's softly spoken challenge. She glanced at Itachi, who was watching his father in his usual impassive habit. She knew she was alone on this one.

"I meant no insult," Sakura's eyes averted to meet his hard gaze with her own, her chin angling defensively, "I have not yet had the chance to get to know my husband's family." She wondered if she would eventually get used to calling Itachi that. Swallowing she pressed on, "I merely wanted to come as myself."

Itachi surprised them all by interjecting, "I believe it can be overlooked for today father. She is the last of her clan. She is also ignorant of our customs, and was not intentionally going out of her way to offend. It will be corrected in the future."

Sakura eyed Fugaku surreptitiously through the veil of her pink bangs. He was openly glaring at his eldest son. Itachi however passively ignored this and continued to eat his dinner. After a moment's rumination she suddenly clapped her hands together. Everyone at the table visibly flinched except for her husband. Sakura tried smiling as cheerfully as possible, "Mikoto. Dinner really was wonderful. I need to talk to you later, before we head out."

The older woman's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Indeed. I would like that."

Once the men finally finished their meals. Mikoto set about clearing the table and cleaning up. Sakura assisted her. At first her new mother-in-law complained but bit back her words when she realized quickly that her daughter-in-law was ignoring her and was doing as she pleased. After running a warm, damp dishrag over the table Sakura returned into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter, next to Mikoto who had her arms elbow deep in hot sudsy water. The men retired to the family room, along with a bottle of unopened saki and three cups. Silence reigned between the two women for several long moments.

Mikoto was the first to break the silence, "So what did you wish to speak with me about?"

"I wanted to ask you a small favor." The young woman tilted her head to the side when Mikoto's brown orbs settled on hers. "I actually asked Itachi to do it. But even I understand that he does tend to get busy with his shinobi duties. I was hoping you wouldn't mind composing a list of things that Itachi likes to eat, and things that he doesn't like. Maybe if you have a recipe or two that you wouldn't mind giving to me, of things he prefers. I wanted to go into the village to pick up some supplies tomorrow."

"You really are kind hearted aren't you?"

That statement startled Sakura. Her eyes widened. She asked brusquely, "What do you mean by that?" She squinted at Mikoto as if trying to ascertain the reason herself.

"You're a mouthy little thing, I have to admit. You wore your family crest today to irk your husband." At Sakura's guilty look, the older woman smiled amused. "I know you have a rebellious streak. I seen it in you the first day I met you."

Sakura wasn't quite sure how all that tied into the previous remark.

"However, even if you give off a devil may care attitude. You do think about others."

Her face reddened at the spoken observation. The continued perusal from the older woman, made Sakura feel distinctly uncomfortable. She picked up a towel and started to dry the plates and utensils. When Mikoto continued to wait for a reply. Sakura set down the terry cloth and faced Mikoto square on. Arching a brow at the older woman, she announced with blunt honesty, "I don't know what you want from me."

"I just want my son to be happy."

"Of course," Sakura dipped her head in acknowledgement. What mother wouldn't feel that way about their child? A half-smile touched her lips. "If it's any condolence to you. This is what Itachi chose. I didn't choose him."

Mikoto stiffened noticeably. Her lips pursed into a tight frown, "Oh, what do you mean?"

Sakura recounted the exchange between her and the Hokage. She even told her about her open ended offer to all the males present. She lifted her chin, "Itachi was the only one to step forward. Which surprised me, if I must be honest. I was hoping to turn the tables on them, and perhaps buy myself more time. The Hokage gave me three days..." she shook her head, "telling me that I should get to know them in that time. Not only that, he had them keep me under surveillance. So I couldn't have even if I had wanted to."

Mikoto's frown deepened at that conjecture. "Well of course you couldn't."

"But your eldest son had other ideas. He probably thought to keep a closer eye on me," Sakura's lips twitched with amusement at that, "I'm known to be quite the trouble maker."

The woman shook her head, "No. My son wouldn't have stepped forward for such a shallow reason."

Sakura didn't quite agree. But she kept that thought to herself. A mother would defend her child, and there would be no getting around it. Even she understood that.

"I'll get you a list before you leave. Oh and," Mikoto put a finger to her lips, suddenly remembering something else, "I should give you this too."

The older woman pulled a small, wooden square with a seal stamped on it set with a coarse string laced through the top. She laid it flat in Sakura's open palm. Sakura lifted it eyeing it curiously. She frowned. She had no idea what this was supposed to be.

"I have a spare. That one is for you."

"What is this thing?" She went nearly cross eyed looking at it.

Mikoto chuckled in a manner that Sakura could only describe as rather haughty. She'd seen a similar look on Sasuke's face before, only he hadn't been laughing. Mikoto explained easily, "Well my dear. My son is the Uchiha clan heir after all. You can use that when you go shopping tomorrow for supplies. You use that to charge the bill directly to the clan."

Sakura felt a hot blush creep up the nape of her neck. She had just done that today in a fit of temper. "Err -- Thank you." She pocketed it, grateful to be given something like that. It would come in handy.

"You're welcome. We should go join the men."

Nodding in agreement, Sakura followed the older woman. Just as they approached the outside hall. Sasuke's voice carried down the corridor reaching the women's hearing. "She's too spirited Itachi. The sooner you get her pregnant, she'll be distracted and will settle down once she has a brat or two."

A heated angry flush darkened Sakura's face when she heard Fugaku's chuckling agreement. Mikoto glanced at her daughter-in-law noting the rising temper in her green orbs, before putting her palm to her forehead embarrassed by her child's brash mouth. "It seems it doesn't take much to loosen my youngest son's tongue."

Sakura tried to smile, but failed miserably at the woman's off-handed apology. Whether that was the sake talking or not. She'd be damned if she'd ignore his grating attitude. Pink eyebrows snapped together as she began to concentrate, calling the elements to her before giving them a terse command. It only took two seconds.

"Oww – what the fuck was that!" a pained yelp came from Sasuke.

"You?" Mikoto looked at the all too innocent expression her daughter in law wore. It caused the older woman to frown.

Sakura grinned wickedly and shrugged before sweeping past Mikoto and into the family room. She met Itachi's eyes across the room, and almost swore she saw a twinkle of amusement in his onyx orbs. It was so quick however, Sakura wondered if she had only imagined it.

"You!" Sasuke pointed an accusing finger at Sakura, the cup of sake he held in his hand swished dangerously to the brim with the male's sudden movement.

An openly malicious smile twisted the young woman's lips. She had no intention of hiding the fact that she was behind the nasty static shock she'd given him.

Itachi eyed his wife surreptitiously. He didn't dare laugh. The woman often surprised him with her behavior. One moment she was as timid as a lamb, another second a lioness. She finally told him about some of her childhood and so he understood where much of her behavior stemmed from. She was still hiding things from him, and it bothered him that she made no effort to hide the fact from him that she was. He had admittedly lost his temper with her. He regretted his lack of restraint. There was something about the woman that did something to his tightly reigned control over his emotions, that unsettled him. Instead of running away from what he saw as a weakness, he had married her. He wondered how he would have reacted if she had chosen someone else.

Her hip brushed against his as she sat down next to him. He noted the tense set of her shoulders. She was still angry with his brother. Itachi almost smiled at the way she was bristling. He had to give her some credit. She was holding back that acid tongue of hers far more than usual. He knew that she would have been much more openly caustic and rude to his family if this had occured but a couple weeks earlier. He realized that in her own way, she was actually trying.

Sakura glanced up at Itachi's impassive face, and she wondered if he was still angry about the incident that had occurred between them that afternoon. Looking away, and turning her eyes back towards his family she made an attempt to listen to the conversation going on. She picked at the imaginary lint on her clothes as Itachi's father discussed clan politics with his sons. Sasuke sent her a glare here and there over the course of the night. Each time, she would just smirk at him. When no one was looking, she stuck her tongue out at him. Everyone glanced up when they heard Sasuke make a strangled noise.

Mikoto intervened quickly, "I think you've had more than enough of that tonight Sasuke." His mother dipped her head in the direction of the sake bottle.

He glanced at his mother, his cheeks still lined with ire. He set down the saucer roughly when his father sent him a hard look. The look he sent Sakura promised retribution. She just gave him a saccharine smile that fooled absolutely no one. Not that she was trying to fool anyone.

Finally Itachi interjected knowing that if the two kept at their silent war much longer it would get ugly, "We're going to take our leave. Thank you for having us over tonight."

"Oh wait," Mikoto scooted off the couch, "I have to do something for Sakura before you go."

Itachi frowned at his mother, taken aback by the sudden out of the blue statement.

Sakura rose to her feet and waved a dismissive hand at Itachi. "If you want to go on ahead. I'll catch up."

"You really don't have any manners do you?" Sasuke quipped, his arms folding over the expanse of his chest.

Her lips quirked up in wry amusement at the irony in his heated accusation, "I wouldn't be pointing fingers."

Mikoto grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down a quick list. She handed it to her new daughter in law. Sakura's eyes scanned it quickly and then gave the other woman a curt nod, "Thanks for everything."

Folding it, she ignored the curious eyes of her husband as she slipped the paper into her pocket. They left the compound side by side after another set of polite niceties. Sakura chuckled as she caught the male's curious gaze on her more than once, "You really do like your sweets don't you?"

Itachi was taken off guard by the teasing note in her voice.

"I asked your mother to write the list of things you liked to eat. I thought about it, and I figured you might be too busy to get around to it," she shrugged while explaining before glancing at him with a thoughtful air, "she also gave me something to charge the bill to the estate with. But honestly, if I have the money on hand, I won't use it."

"Aa."

Tapping her chin with her forefinger she sighed before suddenly saying. "I'm sorry."

This startled him. Her guileless and forthright apology took him off guard. "What are you apologizing for?"

"Perhaps I did go a little overboard," she lifted her arms and flapped her sleeves in a tell-tale gesture. "I was still mad at you for this afternoon."

"I know."

"You knew it would upset your father. And yet you didn't warn me," She accused him, going from one extreme to another emotionally in the span of a couple seconds.

"I did."

"Why?" She pressed further. Her lips smoothed out into an unhappy thin line.

"I knew it would make no difference. You enjoy irritating people."

"I enjoy –" She repeated slowly and then broke off. She glared and snarled at him, "I do not."

"Oh?"

Sakura was sorely tempted to give him a static shock like she did his younger brother. She started to seriously contemplate doing just that.

"Do not even think about it." He warned her stoically, he sent her a look that spoke volumes.

Her mouth gaped open like a landed fish. She didn't bother to hide it, "How'd you know?"

"The top of your nose wrinkles when you are thinking about doing something mischievous."

Her hand flew up to cover the appendage. "It does not."

The left corner of his lip quirked, but he said nothing further on the subject.

"You're incorrigible," She accused hotly. She wrenched the gate to the shrine open and meant to slam it on him but he caught it calmly with his palm, and set it gently on the latch before going towards the house behind her.

His tapered fingers caught her wrist in a firm grip. Sakura was forced to a stop before she had the chance to grab the doorknob. She pivoted sharply on her heel to give him a piece of her mind. She faltered when he lifted her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles. There was something in his dark eyed expression that made her heart flutter in the confines of her chest.

Her anger melted away as if it had never been. She snatched her hand back as if she'd been burned. She grasped the door knob and yanked the door open, before stepping into the house.

She blushed several more shades of red when she caught Hana's knowing look. The feline lay prostrate on the couch, her furry body stretched out lazily. Hana chuckled softly, "Perhaps you will be moving to his room sooner than later."

"Oh shut up," Sakura grumbled audibly. He'd just kissed her knuckles, for Kami's sake.

"Excuse me?" Itachi murmured from behind her.

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight." She quickly said instead, a blush still in her cheeks.

"Aa."

Itachi watched as Sakura went straight to her room, taking down her long, silky mass of hair as she went. He met Hana's eyes and could have sworn that the cat was looking at him with amusement in those amber orbs, as if she knew exactly what was going on. The feline jumped off the couch and followed Sakura to her room, her tail swishing slightly in a typical cat fashion. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, the shoji door slid shut behind her. There was definitely something not quite right about his wife's pet. His eyes narrowed calculatingly. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out.

-o-

"What's that?" Sakura pointed at the necklace that hung from Hana's jaws. The cat had gone into the open closet and had come out with the mysterious item in her jaws.

The cat set it down in her mistress's pajama-clad lap. "Do you want children just yet?"

Remembrance of Sasuke's coarse statement echoed in her head. She shook her head, before lifting the jewelry to get a better look. It wasn't really much to look at as far as beauty standards went. It hung suspended on aging leather ties. The pendant was a smooth, round, nondescript brown stone.

"As long as you wear that, you won't conceive."

This made Sakura flush with embarrassment. "What? Why are you telling me this now all of a sudden?"

"Your mother and father weren't exactly a love match. They were engaged due to a mutual agreement their parents made for them. Your mother created this. She actually didn't take it off for many years. They came to care for each other very much. But it took time. Their situation isn't so dissimilar to yours."

"I didn't know that," Sakura looked at the necklace in her palm. The corners of her lips turned down. The melancholy in her face was clearly evident to the cat.

"I know your mother would have wanted you to have it."

Sakura placed her palm on the crown of the feline's head gently, "Thanks Hana." Wordlessly she slipped it over her head. She placed the stone beneath the neck of her pajamas. The weight settled over the mark left by the Guardians. Her body tingled from the effects of the old power, but then the hum settled just as quickly. She would have inquired further, but she really didn't want to get into a discussion about the birds and the bees with the feline.

Slipping under the covers of her bedroll. She rolled to the side and turned off her lamp, setting them both in darkness. She felt Hana gingerly step on the end of the bed. The cat curled into a ball, lending warmth to her feet.

Sakura turned off the lamp at her side pitching the room in darkness. Rolling over onto her back, she proceeded to stare wide eyed up at the ceiling. Her finger went to her knuckles where his lips had grazed and then up to touch the smooth stone. She was grateful that Hana had given her the necklace, but not because of what it was meant for, but because it was her mother's. She knew it would be a long time before she would have to worry about its use. They hardly knew each other. They had a long way to go before she would even _have_ to contemplate the idea of children. So much had to come before.

When she did finally drift into slumber, she was plagued with dreams. Crimson skies, and an exaltation of crows. She found herself standing in the center of a shallow pool of water, even though she was barefoot it wasn't chilly but lukewarm. An unnatural breeze devoid of whispers blew across the barren landscape. She lifted her chin, her eyes roaming over the expanse of the sky, latching onto the blood red moon curiously.

She wasn't afraid but she found herself unsettled by the strange surroundings There was something so very wrong about it. Lifting a curled fist against her chest, she strode past several empty crosses. The splintered sentinels cast many long shadows over the bizarre dream scape. She froze mid step when there was a sudden loud crack that came from the sky above her. Black lightning streaked across the sky, though it was only partially cloudy.

Halting completely, Sakura lifted her chin once again. The clouds came together and covered the moon tinged the hue of fresh blood. She found herself suddenly bathed in crimson rain. She stretched her arms outward, and watched the rivulets of moisture drizzle down the pale skin of her arm. Lowering the appendage, her eyes rose and she turned her face away. Her reflection in the shallow water she stood in, stared right back up at her. The rippling surface undulated from the droplets coming from the sky.

Sakura was hypnotized by the sight of her own eyes staring right back at her. Her arm went up to cover her face protectively when a flock of cawing crows flapped past her. Black feathers rained down. She reached out to take one in her hand. Her green eyes widened when the soot colored feather drifted through her palm translucent. The feathers flickered and then disappeared completely from sight.

A shadow stretched and loomed over her. It engulfed her entire frame. Sakura went to turn to see who it was. It was that moment that her eyes shot open. The early morning light was streaming into her bedroom window. Her eyes still bleary from sleep and her mind filled with hazy imagines, she slowly sat up. Cradling her forehead in her palm, she shook her head as if she were trying to shake the mental cobwebs loose. When she removed her hand, she could see Hana was still fast asleep. The feline was curled up comfortably at the foot of the bed.

Sakura already knew that she wouldn't be able to roll over and fall back asleep. Rising from the palette she quickly changed out of her pajamas to her simple outfit that she wore whenever she was supposed to go work at Ichiraku's. She staggered out of the room and into the kitchen while mentally shaking off the weird dream from her brain.

A cup of tea. Caffeine. That's exactly what she needed, her scattered thoughts finally formed together to form a coherent train of thought. That's when she noticed the door to the master bedroom was open. The blankets were folded up neatly and the occupant was gone. Her senses flared outwards and she realized that Itachi's chakra was no where to be found. Her lips curled into a frown. He must have went off to go do whatever it was that ninjas do, she thought to herself.

Hana's sleepy voice drew her attention just as she was about to step into the kitchenette, "Whatcha," she paused flashing her white fangs as she yawned, "doing up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep anymore."

The cat strode in the kitchen waiting patiently as Sakura quickly put her breakfast together. She put the bowl down for the feline and finally got around to making her morning tea. She fixed herself a quick meal of natto and toast. Sitting down at the table she nibbled at the corner of the bread and sipped at her tea. Her green eyes followed Hana as the cat finished up her breakfast and padded over. Sakura knew that since Itachi was gone, that Hana would probably want to give her another lesson of some kind today.

Sakura waited patiently for the cat to speak to her. Hana hopped up on the table and sat on her haunches, her amber eyes regarding the shaman's pale features.

"I think that it's time you begin to integrate yourself even further with these shinobi."

The toast fell out of Sakura's fingers and hit the plate. She hadn't expected Hana to say that. She swallowed hard, "What do you mean by that? I'm already married to one. What more do you want?"

"It's not what I want. It's –" the cat paused, her yellow orbs narrowing, "During your trials, did not the Guardian's tell you the truth of the past?"

"Yes. At least I think so," Sakura's face scrunched up as she struggled to think back to what was said. It was a little early in the morning for all this, she thought irritably.

"The human race fought against the demon race. The Guardians who exist behind the gate, the very one that the Bijuu's guard --gave sanction for the Bijuu to help the humans against a common enemy."

Sakura nodded. This part she had heard.

"Well – though it is true that the shinobi are the direct ancestors of the humans gifted abilities from the Bijuu's -- your kin was already gifted to an extent and forged a bond with the Guardians. They gave your progenitors unique abilities even before the war ever transpired."

The shaman lifted her teacup and took a sip. She cleared her throat, "Yes, the Guardians did mention all that as well – but I still can't see why that has anything to do with what you're telling me to do."

Hana blinked across the table at Sakura and heaved a sigh. She lifted a paw and pointed it at her, "Before your ancestors had a disagreement with each other and split, you do realize that they would have to of at one point worked with one another to win the war. The problems arising between them didn't occur until long after."

Sakura froze at that statement. It was true. She hadn't really thought about it. But at one point, they would have had to come together to achieve victory. At least that was what occured according to the legend itself. Intrigued. Her breakfast sat forgotten and was growing cold. She leaned forward, "I didn't even think about that. You're absolutely right." She repeated the words that the Guardian tiger had spoken to her, "Humans who aligned themselves with the shaman and Bijuu were granted power, so that they could aid in the effort against a common enemy. That's what I was told."

"Yes. The shamans were the shield. Those who carried the power granted by the Bijuu were the sword."

"If that's the case. Then what about those who utilized the Guardian's Armor? Where do they fit in, in all this?" Sakura couldn't help but ask, her fingertip going to her lips as she recalled her father.

"Shrine warriors didn't appear until after the war," The cat's eyes closed to slits, "Not until they were needed to fight those who wanted to use the Bijuu for their own personal gain. There were really two seperate wars. The first one with the demon race, and then – the one between the humans themselves in a struggle for power. The Guardians granted your kin those gifts afterwards. The power to protect what was dear."

"I see." And Sakura did. She cleared her throat before going on, "Because there is no longer anyone – at least that we know of – that can use the Guardian's Armor, and take on the duties of a Shrine Warrior. You want me to learn how to become the shield. Is that correct?"

"You are the shield. Times are relatively peaceful for now. If something should ever happen, a shield can only block, but not wield," At the protest on Sakura's face the cat gave her a hard look to silence her protest, "Yes I understand that you have abilities that you can attack with -- if it came down to it. Just like your mother was able to. But that's not where your true strength lies. You must learn to not only work with -- but you must also _trust_ the sword."

Sakura thought about the day that the Uchiha's subjected her to the sharingan three times over. She dipped her head in complete understanding although -- she wasn't quite sure about the trust yet. Her abilities were not enough against a shinobi. Not alone. It was a hard thing to accept, but it was the hard truth. She let out a soft sigh, "So what is it that you would have me do?"

"The elements listen and speak to you now." The cat hopped off the table and disappeared back into the bedroom. Sakura frowned when the feline came out with a piece of green cloth in her mouth and jumped onto the tabletop once more. She dropped the scrap of material in front of Sakura. Her eyes narrowed on her once again, "There is a reason why I told you to go out and mingle with others. I have taught you the basics. Before I can teach you further, this is something you will have to do on your own."

Sakura reached out and picked up the cloth in her hand and stared hard at it. She arched a brow at Hana, "And what the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"You are to use that as a blindfold," Hana's sharp teeth flashed a smile up at her, "And you are to go seek out some of your new acquaintances to see if they'd be willing to help you with this."

Sakura slapped her palm down on the table in protest. She snapped angrily, "Like hell I'm going to do that! It's bad as it is enough already! I don't want those people to know anymore about me than they already do."

"Like it or not, this is how things are. There are many things about you that they could never come to understand. Isn't that enough? They are here to stay. What harm is there in making friends of them? These are not the days of a thousand years ago. Let them see what you can do. What harm will it bring you? They will be curious – but they already know you're different. You are married to one of their kind. Why not hone your skills so that you can use them when you need them?" Hana's voice grew harder and sterner with every word she spoke.

She wasn't ready to relent on the subject just yet, "Then what in the hell have I been doing all this time? You've made me believe that I had to learn what you've taught me in secret to stay just that. That there are _some_ things they shouldn't know. So what's with this all of a sudden?"

"Indeed there are_ some _things that you will only ever know and understand. Did you not listen to the Guardians when they asked if you desired to be bonded to them of your own will? That you would be a voice should they ever have need of it?" Hana was practically yelling at her by this point. The feline was irked by the woman's obstinacy. She could understand the reasons behind her feelings, but she didn't like it. Not at all. Sakura's stubborness would only serve to get her hurt.

"Of course I did," Sakura splayed her hand over the area of her chest that held symbol of the forged bond between them, "And that's why I can't understand why you're telling me to go out there – and … and make friends with these people. They've done nothing but turn my life completely upside down. I'm trying to get along with them. Isn't that enough?"

Hana's tone gentled and she went closer to the women, her eyes full of understanding, "I know. But if it wasn't for them. You wouldn't be speaking with me now," the feline shook her head, "There are many things that are sacred to your kin and I understand that. I understand that probably better than anyone else. What I'm trying to have you do is not give yourself away to them – but instead – what I'm saying to you – is that it wouldn't be a bad thing not only to make friends with them. But to also come to understand the old bonds that your kin once shared with them. You are married to one of them now. You share a village with them now. Should a time ever come that you are forced, and I pray that you never are, but if you are ever pushed into a situation that you _have _to call on your bond with the Guardians. You will be prepared. And you won't be alone when that happens."

Sakura's fingers curled around the cloth in her palm, squeezing the material tight. Her resolve crumbled against the tide of Hana's wisdom filled words. She slowly ducked her head, "I understand. So how do I go about this? I have no idea how you want me to achieve this."

"I'm sure they must have to practice their abilities as well. Just like you must. Go to the ones you've forged some kind of ties with – friendship or acquaintance, and have them assist you. I'm sure you can figure that part out on your own."

"I think I can understand that – but what's this blindfold for?" Sakura lifted the cloth up and dangled it in front of the cat's eyes.

"Whenever you practice your abilities with them, you must be blindfolded. You must learn to -- in a dangerous situation, depend heavily on your ability to hear the spirits of the elements. At first your sense of sight will only impede you. You must learn to rely on your inner senses. You will know what I mean once you begin."

"I've only begun to hear them speak recently. Even then it's faint – most of the time I can't hear it clearly. I've only had training in a short two weeks," Sakura's lips twisted with wry amusement. It really hadn't been all that long.

"That's only how much training your mother had before she was sent to practice such things with your father," Hana suddenly lifted her chin, her eyes looking past Sakura, "He's just in time it seems. You should take your mate with you. It would do you both some good."

At that Sakura stiffened. In slow motion she craned her neck only to find Itachi standing in the doorway. His shrewd eyes settled on her face. The memory of the sensation of his lips on her skin danced across the edges of her conscious. Sakura knew that in terms of last night having been their wedding night, that was very tame compared to what he could have demanded of her. A simple kiss on that hand. He'd done it just to defuse her temper, more than likely. She brushed it off and focused her attention on more important things.

She swallowed around the nervous lump in her throat, "Good morning. I didn't expect you back so soon."

"Hn." He shut the door behind him and strode into the room.

Sakura glanced back and was relieved to see that Hana had already jumped off the table and scampered off somewhere. She'd been so caught up in her conversation with Hana, she hadn't even realized that his chakra signature was approaching. She had so much more to learn, she realized.

She stood to her feet, her eyes roaming up the length of his body, taking in the fact that he was not in any kind of uniform. Sakura began to wrench on the blindfold in her hands nervously, "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Aa."

"You're off duty?" Her breath hitched in her throat when his dark eyes fastened on her face.

He stopped in front of her, while looking down at her. His gaze dropped to the cloth in her hands. He nodded curtly, "Yes. The Hokage has given me time off for the next few days."

She almost face palmed herself. Of course. They'd just gotten married after all. It would make sense that they'd give him a little time off. Sakura gnawed on her lower lip. It was now or never. She choked out, "I know that shinobi practices their abilities at a training area at the edge of town. I believe it's near where the school is being built." When his eyes started to widen at what she was saying, she almost lost the courage to ask him. She plowed on, "Do you want to go there and do – things?"

"Things?" His face went blank at that less than satisfactory explanation. He knew it was an innocently asked question. He just didn't understand what she was trying to really say.

"Yes," the abused cloth in her hands was being wrung to the point of nearly ripping, "To do – what's it called? Sparring." She sighed in relief when she finally got that last part out.

When he didn't think she could shock him anymore with the things that came out of that mouth of hers. She had to go and prove him wrong. Itachi found it interesting that she had no compunctions with telling someone off. However, she'd barely gotten such a simple request out. He took in the blush that painted her cheekbones and the way she was chewing on her lower lip. It was then at that moment, that the weight of her simple query hit him.

"You wish to spar?" His eyebrows snapped together. He didn't expect that at all. He pressed further, "With me?"

Sakura could see the surprise cracking that stoic mask of his. She would have been amused at the sight of it any other time. Slowly she nodded, "Yes. I would like to. I know I'm not a shinobi, but there are _things _I need to work on that I can't do alone. I think you might be able to help me with them." She watched his aristocratic brow arch up and his brow pucker. She lifted a hand and shook her head ready to retract the request, "Unless you're too busy. I'm sure you probably have things to do."

"I've already taken care of what I needed to be done this morning. I will go with you. Although I am a bit surprised that you would – ask me something of this nature."

Sakura could tell by the way his face grew shuttered exactly what he was referring to. Was it against the shinobi code to say what you mean and mean what you say? She ducked her chin a moment, but then looked up at him again, her eyes going half mast. She couldn't help it. She laughed at him, which was something he didn't quite expect from her either, "Itachi. What happened -- is in the past. I will admit that – you do make me a little nervous," when his eyes grew large, her smile widened, "You act like no one's ever been straight forward with you before."

"You say this to me. Yet, you do not hold any trust me. I don't understand your motive." He took a step closer, his eyes narrowed on her face as if trying to divvy out her deepest of secrets.

She held her ground and tilted her head, studying his face. She noticed the deepened lines in his face, and for the first time the bags under his eyes. Sakura realized that he must have not slept well either. Focusing back on the present, Sakura ran a hand through her hair, "That's just it. I don't have a motive. I chose to marry you Itachi for better or worse." Sakura shut her eyes a moment, to take a break from the intensity of his gaze, "I can freely admit that when you, your father, and your brother tried to make me do something against my will, it destroyed any trust I may have had. But even before that, you attacked me because you thought I was a dangerous loose end. On the other hand I understand that the feeling is mutual. You don't trust me either. But –" she paused and held his eyes with her own. Green and endless depths of black met and mingled. A true smile tugged on the curve of her lips, "That doesn't mean that we can't try to meet each other in the middle. Does it?"

He didn't say anything but Sakura noticed his adam's apple bobbing in the column of his throat.

She backed away not knowing what else she could say to him, "Well I guess I should get ready. I haven't even finished my morning routine yet."

As she turned, she felt him shackle her wrist. Sakura stopped and craned her neck to look back up into his face inquisitively. She didn't open her mouth to speak. She knew he could read the question in her eyes.

Immediately he released his hold on her. Itachi cleared his throat, "I'll be waiting for you outside."

Sakura knew that wasn't what he had intended to say. She however didn't press for more, instead she nodded, "I'll only be a couple minutes."

Sakura grabbed the dishes off the table and took them to the sink. She hastily dumped the half eaten food in the trash. She tossed back the now cold tea and swallowed it down. She finally went to her room to change. Her hand went to the pendant hidden beneath the lapels of her shirt. Her thumb smoothed over the brown stone, while she reflected on the recent conversation between them. Sakura was again reminded of how far they really had to go. She shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and then went to get ready.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **As Emeril would say -- BAM! Enjoy =).

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the rights to Naruto.

**Chapter 9**

Sakura met Itachi at the gate. She had thrown one of her old pairs of loose fitting black pants and a sleeveless cranberry hued top. It was what she used to wear out in the yard whenever she'd needed to pull weeds. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she spoke softly, "I'm sorry that took so long. Are you ready?"

He lifted his head and surveyed her face for several moments. Finally he dipped his chin in acknowledgement and was about to make his way down the hill towards the training grounds.

Gathering her courage, Sakura's hand snatched out and she grabbed his sleeve and gave it a minute tug. She pulled her hand back quickly. He glanced down at her, arching a brow. He waited patiently for her to speak.

Sakura knew that everything had to start somewhere. Swallowing hard, she tilted her head to the side, "It's a bit of a long walk. I know that shinobi have ways of travel that is much quicker."

He stiffened at that conjecture. He cleared his throat, "It is. However it would require me to --"

"I would have to be carried. I know," Sakura nodded, understanding fully well that she was stepping out on a limb. Hana had said she needed to learn to trust him. It would require baby steps. For both of them. She smirked up at him. A bit of a playful attitude twisted her lips as she teased him, "I'd just rather not do it over your shoulder this time. That made me a little dizzy."

Itachi seemed to think it over, but then he finally nodded in agreement to her odd request. He turned around and bent down. Her face reddened when she realized that she hadn't quite thought it all through. She'd be pressed up against him a little more intimately than she thought. Biting the inside of her cheek, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clambered on piggy back style. She'd seen the kids in the village do this while playing games together, but she'd never taken part in it, when she'd been a child. She couldn't remember if her father had done something like this with her either.

A burning flush crept up her neck when he tucked his arms under her legs. She could feel his body heat emanating through his dark clothing, that almost felt like it was leaving an imprint against her torso. Sakura had to fight to keep the blush out of her cheeks. She felt a little ridiculous in that childish position. In the next breath, she felt herself dip as he tucked his knees slightly, before springing agilely into the trees. She nestled her chin on his shoulder, her green eyes wide as the wind whistled past her ears. She shut her eyes a moment, just to allow herself to feel. She was amazed at how silent his movements were. Sakura would have thought that that with her extra weight, maybe the branches would creek, the leaves would rustle loudly. The only sounds that she caught was the air rushing by, and the songs of the morning birds.

She felt the impact of landing. Opening her eyes, she relaxed her arms around his neck and he bent to let her down. She slid off, her voice was barely audible when she thanked him. Sakura looked behind her, from the way she knew they'd just came. She was amazed at how much quicker it really was.

Her husband's deep tenor halted her train of thought, "We are here. What is it that you came here to do?"

Sakura's eyes went back to the training grounds. The area was large grassy and mostly open, but there was still plenty of forest around the outskirts of the field. Her eyes traced the outline, and the flashing specs of colors that she knew were teams of people practicing and honing their skills. Interested despite herself, she said, "I'd actually would like to --"

She was cut off by a loud and familiar voice.

"Oy! Is that you Sakura?"

Sakura turned on her heel to face whoever was calling her name. Naruto was jogging towards her and Itachi. She could see that he was completely surprised to see her there. His blue eyes were wide as he stopped in front of her, "What are you doing down here?"

"I was thinking of --" She paused and put her finger to her lips, her eyes flicking over to Itachi and then back to Naruto, "sparring."

Naruto's orbs rounded into saucers. "_You? _Are you serious?"

She opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Sasuke who had to jog to keep up with his rambunctious teammate, "Dammit dobe! Why are you running off for?" His eyes settled on his eldest brother and Sakura. He couldn't quite hide his surprise at seeing them there. His eyes narrowed on her. He wasn't obviously happy to see her there but he didn't voice what he was thinking. His lips firmed into a thin line. He turned as another teammate that Sakura hadn't seen before arrived last.

He was carrying a scroll in his right hand. She had never seen anyone so pale in her life. His almond shaped eyes was a contrast with such a dark black tone, that she couldn't even see his pupils. And she thought Itachi's eyes were dark! What caught her attention the most was how his face held no expression and how devoid of emotion his eyes were. His outfit was just as odd as he seemed to be. Black pants, and a matching shirt of gray and onyx that zipped, bearing his midriff. She could see a small weapon in a holster that poked up from the red straps that hung on his shoulders. She frowned, what was it with these shinobi and their strange fashion sense? She thought back to her first meeting with Maito Gai and Rock Lee.

"Who's this ugly chick?"

Sakura's brow arched at the insult. She might have gotten angry had there actually been emotion in his voice. She could see the smirk forming on Sasuke's face. Naruto on the other hand looked a little nervous. The blond was remembering when Sai had said something similar to Ino when he first met her. It hadn't been pretty.

Sakura suprised them all by chuckling, "You're another of those _special _nin aren't you? I'm surprised you're not in Mr. Stick Up My Ass' squad of weirdos. I think you'd fit in really well there."

His eyelids that had sat at half mast widened slightly at the blunt acidic response from the short pink haired woman.

Itachi could already see this ending badly. He put a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

She glanced up at the male behind her, the smirk on her face thinning out into a flat line, "I think that it would be beneficial to spar with them."

Everyone with the exception of expressionless boy looked startled by this. Sasuke looked like he'd swallowed something nasty.

"You want to spar with us?" Naruto choked out in shock.

"You are an acquaintance." She said as if that explained everything.

Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion at the woman's odd explanation.

Itachi's fingers went to massage the bridge of his nose. He'd never met anyone who could be so directly blunt and yet be so perplexing all at the same time.

"You aren't making sense Ugly," the strange black-eyed male cut in curtly.

"Oh yeah -- Sakura this is Sai, Sai this is Sakura," Naruto finally introduced them.

Itachi watched the two of them size each other up with thought laden orbs. He knew the best way to understand the way she worked, was to observe.

Sai opened his mouth to say something, but Sakura turned her back on him and ignored him completely. Itachi watched the other man's mouth snap shut. He knew that Sakura's behavior was unexpected and that the shinobi artist wasn't quite sure how to take the woman. He could empathize.

Sakura started to make her way out to the training grounds. Her fingertips when to her lower lip and she was trying to figure out how she could accomplish whatever it was that Hana wanted her to figure out. As she drew closer to the center, she began to hear the tickle of whispers. Bending her head to the side, she stopped and listened. With the training she'd undergone, she had learned to the tell the difference in which element was speaking to her. Earth, wind, fire, water. Each spoke with a completely different resonance and tone. From where she stood, she could hear the mingle of the many voices, as the shinobi fought one another far in the distance. A flash of fire, a spike of earth, a slash of wind, or a gush of water.

She looked down at her open palm and shut her fingers closed. Sakura wasn't quite certain if she was ready for something like this or not. She turned to face the four men who were watching her with varying expressions. They were curious despite themselves. Centering herself, she reached down to her belt and pulled out the green cloth that Hana had given her.

She held it in her hand a moment, and with a deep breath. She put it on and tied the knot tightly against the back of her scalp. Sakura splayed her hands wide to the bemusement of the men present, "I'm ready."

There was dead silence after that little announcement.

Itachi knew he was going to have to be completely direct with her, "Sakura -- what is it that you are ready for? What is it that you are wanting us to do exactly?"

"I don't know yet. Do some ninja stuff -- I'm supposed to figure it out," she waved a dismissive hand at the lot of them.

Sasuke arched a disbelieving brow, "Ninja stuff?" Was she serious? His lips thinned into a flat line. If he didn't think she was a little crazy, he'd be offended that she was so blatantly underestimating and disrespecting them.

Sakura nodded quickly, her lips pursing as she explained, "Yeah. I have no ideas what it is that you do. So I need you to do your ninja stuff."

"Why?" Itachi intoned next to her. He wasn't about to allow anyone to attack or send jutsus at her blindfolded, "What is it that you are trying to accomplish?"

"I'm supposed to practice relying on my inner senses," She lifted the material to peek up at him.

"And you have absolutely no idea how shinobi utilizes their abilities?" Itachi arched a brow down at her, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"Not in the slightest."

Naruto laughed then, "Sakura you're nuts."

She sighed, realizing this wasn't getting her anywhere. Her mouth set in a stubborn line, "If you aren't going to help me out. I'll go find someone else who will."

Just as she was about to walk away, a firm hand grasped her arm. She found herself peering up into her husband's shuttered face. Sakura realized that he wasn't happy with that idea either. She put her free hand on her hip and glared into his stern visage.

"You will do no such thing."

Her face reddened at the undisguised order. Sakura asked in a dangerously low voice "Oh? I wont, will I?"

"No. You will not." Itachi reiterated firmly. When she looked ready to explode on him he continued, "You're behavior is reckless. How can you expect to spar with a blindfold when you do not understand what you are up against?"

She paused at that. Sakura realized looking back at her lack of explanation, her request did sound a bit on the crazy side. Sighing, she remembered Hana telling her; she knew there were things they'd never understand about her, but what could it hurt to be more open with them. She was right where the Hokage wanted her. She was married to one of them. She heaved a sigh loud sigh. She hooked a thumb under the blindfold and pulled it off. Itachi released her and backed up, still watching her warily.

Sakura ignored him for the moment and tied the cloth back onto her belt. Lifting her chin, she leveled her eyes on all of them. She cleared her throat, "I'm sorry. I really should have been more concise. I really am not quite certain what it is I'm supposed to be doing or how I should be doing it exactly. I only know I have things that I have to learn."

None spoke as she held a hand out. Shutting her eyes, she dipped her chin. Centering her concentration just as she did when inside her mind when Ino Yamanaka tried to take over her body. Exactly the way Hana had taught her. It took her just a few seconds to grab a hold what she was looking for. The bond took hold and the earth spirits came up to meet her call. The males watching her backed away when they noticed the wind pick up around her. Her hair whipped violently against the rising vortex.

Sakura opened her eyes and met her onlookers with orbs of pupil-less green. The whites of her eyes melted away beneath the emerald hue. She curled her fingers into a fist and strands of yellow chakra began to curl up the length of her bare arm. Dancing, whirling and winding over the epidermis. The strands curled around her fists and then it disappeared, as if being sucked in. She bit her lip, holding her concentration, and then squeezed her fist tighter yet. Yellow chakra dripped from her, forming a pool of dark saffron liquid at her feet.

The puddle rose and she opened her hand and grasped the neck of the forming gnarled staff. Trailing vines wound up the wooden rod as it took on its full form. The wind died down and she looked at Itachi, who was watching her with avid curiosity etched deeply into his features. She said to him, "Your father said that your clan is known for their ability to wield fire."

He was taken off guard by the sudden statement. He dipped his head then, "Yes."

"Can you do that," Sakura hoped she was using the right word, "jutsu?"

His eyes narrowed on her face, but after some hesitation he nodded. Immediately his eyes fell on his younger brother, "I would rather you to fulfill her request. I will standby." He sent a telling glance to Naruto and Sai. They didn't need a verbal order to back off. The two shinobi gave them distance, while Sasuke went to face Sakura at opposite ends of their training field. Itachi set himself in a position to intervene in case something really did go awry.

Sakura watched curiously as Sasuke did something odd with his hands. Her eyes widened as a huge ball of fire suddenly came hurtling towards her. At first fear tried to take hold but, she forced herself to focus on the voices coming towards her and not on the imminent danger. She lifted her free hand, and held out the palm facing it towards the fire ball. She was supposed to be the shield, she reaffirmed in her mind. Her lips moved as words no human could understand spilled out. She felt the moment she connected with the consciousness beyond the fiery inferno. She waved the appendage gently, almost as if she were conducting music in a wide graceful sweep.

The fiery projectile came to a complete stop. Sakura could feel the heat coming from it but she ignored the sensation Instead she held her concentration in a firm mental grip. She began to speak to the spirit, and her palm came down before inverting to face the sky. The ball disappeared completely as it had never been and the shinobi present watched wide eyed as a small, misshapen tiny stick figure appeared on the outstretched appendage. It sparked silver and red, shimmering radiantly on the top of her palm. Sakura bent closer, her head tilted to the side as if she were listening to it. Her mouth curved into a small smile. She nodded and then it puffed into a tiny could of smoke and disappeared.

Itachi was the first to her side. She blinked back up at him, her smile turning genuine, "He told me that he's served your clan for a very long time."

"He?"

"The fire spirit," She answered softly, "You seen him didn't you?"

He watched the green in her eyes recede and shift back to normal. Before he could reply, Naruto came bounding over like an overly energetic spring.

"How did you do that? Can you teach me that?" Naruto stopped next to her, looking with wide blue eyes at her palm.

"You want to learn how to be a witch?" She teased him openly laughter coloring her voice. She flipped the staff horizontal and squeezed. It disappeared in a puff of yellow smoke.

"If that means I can do that to teme. Hell yeah!" Naruto pumped his arm energetically in a Lee-esque maneuver.

"You wish dobe," Sasuke strode forward with his hands in his pockets. He was looking at Sakura like he'd never seen her before.

Sai's face was blank of any outward emotion.

Sakura turned to face Itachi once again, her fingers going to her chin as she was pitched deep into thought. Her orbs lifted to meet his dark eyes, "I believe I understand now. Thank you."

They watched as she turned and faced the other direction. She lifted her chin, and again the wind seemed to pick up around her. It was natural and yet unnatural the way the air seemed to dance and hug her. It was almost surreal. Itachi could see her face from his position as she tilted her chin to the side, he watched her eyelashes fan out against her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Her expression was peaceful and relaxed. It was the first time he'd ever seen that particular look on her face.

Itachi recalled the words she spoke to him just yesterday. What he seen was what he got. Truly, in her complexity was her simplicity.

Sakura squared her shoulders. The wind died down. Taking up the blindfold, she sucked in a deep breath as she wrapped it once more over her eyes. She knew what it was Hana wanted her to learn now. She turned to face them all, even though she couldn't see. Reaching out, she gripped her hand into a fist. The staff formed and danced up into awaiting fingertips. The weight of the eyes upon her form was nearly tangible.

"Itachi. Would you fight as my sword?" She asked him loud enough for the others to hear. He didn't respond, but still she pressed, "I will be the shield."

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged telling glances. They had no clue what she was talking about, but it was obvious that she was asking them to split into teams.

Sakura heard him respond, "That is acceptable. If the others are willing to participate."

Itachi hated to admit it, but he was intrigued by her request. He'd seen a lot of different jutsus and blood line limit abilities in his life. Some of which were so bizarre that they boggled the mind. But, he'd never seen anything like what'd she just done right in front of his eyes before. He would have never believed that was any kind of living entity in the Katon Gōkakyu no Jutsu. He almost didn't want to admit that he'd seen that thing in the palm of her hand.

Naruto gave a minute shrug, "I don't mind sparring with you guys for a bit. That's what we came down here for." His blue eyes fell on Sasuke and Sai, "What do you think?"

Sasuke gave a short, quick nod, "That's fine with me."

Sai's eyes did a slow panorama of the group assembled. He finally announced without inflection, "I will watch."

"That sounds good to me. Two verses two then," Naruto agreed easily.

Sai didn't respond, instead he pivoted on his heel and went to go watch on the sidelines.

Itachi went to stand in front of Sakura, who hadn't moved a step. His brow raised at that. He knew that Sasuke and Naruto would go after her, to try and keep him distracted.

Sakura waited. She knew instinctively that once everything started it would be chaos at first. She had lied. She wasn't a hundred percent sure what it was that she was supposed to be doing. However, she had a pretty good idea. If shinobi utilized elemental bases to most of their attacks, then she could redirect or completely stop them. In a last ditch effort she could line her hands or her feet with chakra and attack directly, but with these people who specialized in using chakra to attack, her abilities for offense paled horribly in comparison.

Breathe. She sucked in a deep drag of air, and her hand tightened around the neck of the stave in her hand. At first there was never ending silence. The moment they took action she felt it. The pressure around her changed. Her nerves tingled with awareness, and she could hear the rising swell of voices. In the beginning she couldn't quite make out the differences in tone.

She heard the squelch of grass, and grunts as the sounds of clashing metal sounded around her. Someone bumped into her and she fell. Hitting the ground, she let out a soft grunt, but then rose to her knees and was back on her feet. She bit her lip. The chaos of sound around her, was incredibly confusing. After about ten minutes of that, she started to get frustrated. Why did she need the damn blindfold anyway? She did better when she could see what was coming for her. She had the feeling that Itachi was the one playing the part of the shield.

Her lips twisted. She couldn't give up. Sakura trusted that Hana had a reason. Suddenly she felt a niggle at the edge of her senses. Sakura stepped to the side. She grit her teeth when she felt something sharp graze her arm. She heard Naruto yell at Sasuke to be careful. Her hand went to cover the open wound. The staff in her hand disappeared when her concentration snapped completely.

She could tell by the way the voices died down that they had stopped. More then likely they were going to call it quits. Sakura lifted a bloodstained hand, her chin setting in a stubborn line, "No. I'm starting to get the hang of it. I'll be all right. I have to get this right."

The cloth was removed from her. She found herself looking up into Itachi's face. Naruto was standing on his left, looking at her with worry on his face. Sakura noticed that Itachi looked pretty much untouched, except that his hair was a bit messier than usual from the exertion. Naruto's and Sasuke's cheeks and foreheads were lined with streaks of sweat and dirt.

"I don't know Sakura, you were just standing there," Naruto shook his head, "It's okay. I mean – you're not a kunoichi."

The fierce look that crossed her face caused him to step back. She shook her head adamantly, "I know I'm not! That's why I'm out here doing this. I have – to learn, and this is how I have to do it."

Itachi's eyebrows snapped together, "How do you know this is the way you're supposed to do whatever it is that you are attempting to accomplish?"

Sakura's jaw clenched shut at that. She knew exactly what he was trying to say. Her parents had died a decade ago and how would she know _this _was what she should be doing. Just as she was trying to figure out a way to explain her way around that particular land mine it hit her. She hit her forehead with the heel of her palm. She snatched the cloth dangling from Itachi's hand and wrapped the wound on her upper right arm, tying the material tight against the wound to stem the flow of blood. It wasn't really all that bad. It stung, but it had already nearly stopped bleeding.

"Ino-pig!" She declared to them all loudly, startling them effectively, "That's the answer to this. I got it. Let's try again. Just one more time. If this doesn't work out I promise I'll give up."

"What does Yamanaka have to do with this?" Naruto arched a blond brow down at the woman.

"Everything." Sakura's lip tilted into a smirk, "She gave me my answer."

"If things go as they did before. I will put a stop to it," Itachi warned her, his deep tenor refuting any argument from her should she have any.

"I can go another round. It's not everyday I get to spar with an ANBU captain," Naruto dipped his head in agreement.

Sasuke didn't even bother to speak. He turned on his heel and resumed his position. He crouched into a ready stance.

Sakura didn't even wait for them to begin. She was still wanting to hit herself over the head for her oversight. Hana had given her, her answer right at the table. The blindfold was only meant to serve as an example. To rely on her sense of sight would impede her. She had to learn how to listen to her inner sense. It was then that she understood.

Sakura shut her eyes, turning her consciousness inward. This was one of the first things that Hana had taught her. It was how she'd been able to take care of Ino Yamanaka. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing on the turquoise dais. The inner sanctum of her mind, that was a duplicate of Guardian's Temple. She allowed her awareness to flare outward. She didn't need to see. She knew exactly where she stood. The moment they began, she knew. The colors of the elements being called upon, appeared in her mind's eye. She allowed instinct to guide her. She would have to be fast. She lifted her hands up, palms facing out and gave herself to her bond.

The mark over her heart began to glow, gold and silver. The vines spread outwards. Her eyes melted into intense green once again, and she blinked and she her consciousness was outside again. She looked at her outstretched appendages. The mark had spread and her arms was covered in ivy tattoos of emerald and yellow up to her fingertips. Unbeknownst to her, the stark lines of her mark had trailed up the smooth milky flesh of her neck and up to her chin.

Needless to say the men were looking at her oddly and had stopped to stare, but not for long. They were used to seeing odd bloodline limits.

Crouching slightly, she readied herself, waiting for them to begin again.

"Kage no Bunshin Jutsu!" Naruto brought his hands together, as he yelled out.

Suddenly Sakura was surrounded by at least a hundred Narutos. At first she was startled, but when she realized that they weren't actually Naruto but clones. She could see the shadow leaking off from the tops of their skulls and trailing off them. Her eyes scanned the perimeter until she found what she was looking for.

"The real Naruto is in the far back, by the oak. I will handle the clones"

Itachi gave her a sidelong startled glance but when he realized she was being serious. He nodded and flickered from view.

Sakura raised her right hand and curled it into a fist, lining it meticulously with chakra. She had used it before to give herself a boost in strength, but now she understood what it was her mother had truly used this ability for. The clones were waiting for her, she noticed.

Arching a brow, she smirked and went running headlong into them. The moment her heel left the ground they came upon her en masse. Yellow chakra leaked outstretched fingertips and they didn't get within a foot of her before combusting with a loud pop.

She pivoted sharply on her heel when a familiar voice tickled and whispered against her ear. Turning her head, she realized that another large fireball was being sent straight for her. She turned to face it. She could see Sasuke standing in the distance, his crimson eyes met hers from across the expanse. As soon as she lifted her hand, palm facing out. The massive ball of fire stopped in place. The grass beneath began to wilt and brown from the heat suspended above.

She sent a playful smirk to her brother-in-law. Sakura squeezed her hand into a fist and the ball disappeared into a puff of smoke. The fire spirit came to her once again, and she whispered nonsensical words to the being in her palm. He hopped off, and this time a small blazing inferno appeared. She waved her arm out and Sasuke suddenly found himself dodging his own jutsu. She chuckled into the back of her hand. She doubted he realized that the fire spirit was in fact playing with him. From where she stood, she could hear the playful laughter coming from the tiny blaze.

The fire sprite dove for Sasuke, the fiery ball barely missing him as he ducked to avoid it. He yelled at Sakura irritably, "What in the hell did you do?" He had to hop skip to the side when it zoomed in for him again.

Sakura snapped her fingers, and the orange blaze stopped. Her lips moved. It disappeared in a puff of blueish gray smoke. She tilted her head to the side, "You big baby. He was just playing with you."

"Big baby?" Sasuke repeated before his eyes narrowed dangerously on her.

Sakura's smile faded. She'd seen that look on Itachi's face before. She knew it didn't bode well for her. He shoulders tensed and then he came running for her. She sent chakra flowing into her feet, and stomped her foot. Her mouth moved, a stream of unintelligible words spilled out.

A wall of earth spiked up to shield her from her attacker. Sasuke dodged and landed in front of her. She continued to keep her calm, and the wind picked up around them. A vortex whipped violently, heading straight for him forcing him to dodge and leap back. It gave her a little time to back away and put distance between them.

Sakura's lips quirked into a smirk when Sasuke jumped to the top of the wall of earth to obtain the high ground. Lifting her hand like a conductor, she brought her palm down flat. The hard dirt came crashing down, forcing Sasuke to leap off once again.

Swallowing convulsively when she realized that her actions had only further served to make Sasuke more irritated with her. She realized that he intended to get more physical with her instead of using one of his complex abilities. At least that's what she figured, if that nasty look in his eye meant anything. Sakura knew she wasn't any good at close combat but still lined her fists with chakra just in case anyway.

Just as she'd surmised, he was in front of her within the blink of an eye span. She almost expected him to throw a punch or a kick at her, but instead his hand snaked out and imprisoned her wrist.

His upper lip furled into a nasty sneer. She went to snap kick him in the chest, but he dodged it, letting go of his hold on her. Sakura watched him brace against his arm before lightning sparked and sizzled in his hand. Sakura realized that he had indeed lost his patience with her.

The shaman was a bit taken aback by how extensively shinobi actually used elements for their actual attacks. When she thought about her abilities compared to theirs, it was almost look at two sides of the same coin. Even though he started to charge her, his intent to harm obvious in the lines of his face. She held her ground.

Naruto and Itachi had already decided to call a halt to their spar before heading back to pick up the other two. They had watched them go at it for a bit, but when Sasuke's hand lit up with the visible signs of chidori, they exchanged a telling glance before rushing over to intercept.

Sakura watched Sasuke come straight for her. She caught and held his eyes, fearlessly looking into his sharingan tinged orbs. She didn't move until he was three foot from her. She heard the warning shouts to move, or for Sasuke to stop. Lifting her hand, she caught the sparking lightning with her hand. Sasuke's eyes widened when he realized that he couldn't move, and also that his chidori was having no effect on the woman at all.

Sakura winced from the searing heat, but she held the spirit at bay. She'd never spoken to a spirit born of fire and air. She could hear the words but couldn't quite understand. Pink brows snapped together with determination as she continued to try and connect. The lightning sparks were digging deep grooves into the earth. She could see the sweat beading on Sasuke's forehead and she could feel her own. Itachi and Naruto were standing on the sidelines, unable to get any closer because of Sasuke's attack.

Sakura could feel the anger pressing against her senses from the elemental spirit that was caught between them. Finally, it seemed to recognize her bond. The arcing silvery-white strikes slowed and finally fizzled out. The woman fell to her knees, her breathing visibly heavy. Her ribcage was rising and falling rapidly.

Itachi's dark eyes flit between Sakura and his sibling who was also out of breath. His voice was sharp with reprimand, "Why did you attempt to do something so dangerous?"

"She was the one who requested that we spar with her. If she can't handle it, then she shouldn't even be here," Sasuke's frayed temper made itself known.

"Oy teme," Naruto shook his head at his teammate, "That's going a little too far. Even I could tell Sakura was just testing some stuff out."

Sakura lifted a hand, drawing their attention to her. She shook her head, "Don't worry about it. I'm fine. I'm glad he did that -- actually."

Itachi realized that she was back to normal. The strange vining and bizarre color was gone from her skin. Finally Sakura lifted her head and met Sasuke's eyes with her own. She shook her head at him, "I had no idea that a shinobi's abilities correlated so strongly with the elements themselves. However, because elements like us -- are living creatures. You should try not to do those jutsus or whatever they are called in anger. It may cause you problems in the future."

His eyes narrowed on her face but he didn't deign to speak. His lips just tightened and his visage darkened.

Sakura's eyes flit to the side when she found a hand being offered to her. Looking up into Itachi's face, she realized that he was trying -- just as she was to make things work out. Normally, she would say something scathing, smack the hand away and get to her feet on her own. Instead tentatively she placed her hand in his. His fingers curled gently around her much smaller appendage and Sakura suddenly felt the tug as he helped her to her regain her standing.

Dusting herself off, she smiled at the three of them when Itachi released his grip on her hand. She voiced politely with feeling behind the words, "Thank you for humoring me."

"If you want to – come down here anytime Sakura. I'll be more than happy to spar with you," Naruto's voice drew her attention to him, the sound more gentle and pleasant than she'd ever heard it. Then suddenly his azure eyes fastened on her bloodstained make-shift tourniquet, "You should go get that checked."

Sakura glanced down at her arm. She had completely forgotten about the wound. Gingerly she pressed her fingers against it and winced slightly at the twinge of pain.

Itachi nodded his appreciation to Kakashi's squad for humoring them, before placing his hand to the small of her back to direct her forward. However, he and his brother's eyes met for a brief moment. Sasuke bristled at the warning in them but didn't outwardly respond to it.

A blush settled in her cheeks, when she felt the warmth of her mate's hand. She allowed herself to be guided off the field. When they passed by Sai, she smirked at him, Itachi just dipped his chin once sharply. Sai snapped up the notebook he had in his hands before nodding back at the ANBU captain.

They stepped off the curb into the hard dirt path that wound it's way back into the heart of the village. She asked softly, "Where are we going?"

"The hospital."

"The hospital?" She parroted dumbly and then refuted that quickly, "Oh I'm all right. I don't think that a small cut necessitates a visit there."

When Sakura saw the firm set to his chin, she decided that she might as well humor him. She sincerely doubted that it was worth the trouble. She noticed while walking through the mass of civilians that she wasn't on the receiving end of stares like she was used to being. Here and there people sent a wary glance but it was hardly noticeable.

At the steps of the hospital she was again forced to not the changes to the city. The old sign and fading red cross had been taken down and replaced. In bold blue letters over the stone archway it now said 'Konoha Hospital' and the old stone steps hadn't been taken out, and new concrete had been put in its place.

Crossing the sterile white and navy cross patterned linoleum they stopped at the front desk. The nurse sitting there lifted her chin to greet them. Her eyes widened when she noticed who was standing in front of her. She stuttered out, her cheeks lining with red, "Uchiha-sama – what can I do for you?"

Sakura gaped at the woman's ridiculous conduct before before smothering an amused cough. What was it with women and Itachi Uchiha? Maybe Ino's behavior hadn't been as crazy as she thought it was. The brunette nurse sent her an unamused look, having caught the smothered sound.

The sound of heels clipping sharply against the floor, pulled Sakura's attention from her thoughts. A busty woman with a clipboard in her hand and honey blonde hair came to a sudden stop. She lifted her head and the first thing Sakura noticed was the cobalt diamond tattoo sitting in the center of her forehead and her light brown eyes. The shaman watched an amused smirk touched curve the other woman's lips before curving into a mischievous upward tilt, "Uchiha-sama, to what does this hospital owe the pleasure of your exalted presence? A grown shinobi bringing himself to the hospital. I never thought I'd see the day."

Sakura watched the impassive mask on her husband's face grow ever tighter at the older woman's teasing. She decided that she liked this person already.

"I brought my wife in to be checked. She sustained a minor kunai wound," he replied tight-lipped.

"Wife?" the doctor's eyes widened before averting to the slender pink haired woman at his side.

Sakura raised her hand, "Hello. I'm Sakura."

"So this is the woman everyone's been gossiping about. We're not busy today. I can go ahead and give her a quick examination. It shouldn't take more then fifteen minutes," the teasing note to her voice had completely disappeared and instead her visage had grown serious and sharp. She was a doctor through and through.

"Aa."

The doctor crooked a finger at her. Sakura followed the woman quietly to a small, nondescript office. She sat on the examining table before being instructed to do so. Her gaze followed the pristine marble gray counter tops and the see through glass jars that held various items like cotton swabs and Q-tips.

Sakura winced slightly when the woman quickly removed the cloth from her arm. She heard the doctor cluck her tongue. She wasn't prepared for the sensation of the medic's chakra entering her body. Instinctively she repelled the green energy and scooted away wide-eyed shocked by the invasive feeling of the alien chakra going directly into her body. Her malachite orbs narrowed warily on the doctor. She snapped defensively, "What in the hell are you doing?"

The medic's eyes went half mast to hide the shock of having a patient react to her that way. In all her days, she'd never had never met a patient who was actually able to reject and repel healing chakra from their body. Until now Tsunade wouldn't have known that such a thing was possible. Interesting. Clearing her throat and regaining her composure she explained, "I was just about to check your vitals before healing that nasty wound on your arm."

The shaman's wary look was replaced by one of avid curiosity. A finger went to her chin and tapped, "It's possible to use chakra for something like that?"

"You aren't a kunoichi?" the woman asked, surprised by that question from her noisy patient. To think than an Uchiha married into a none nin family was interesting to say the least.

"No," Sakura shook her head rapidly, her eyes still alight and inquisitive, "I just didn't know that chakra could be used to heal."

"Quite the odd one aren't you?" the older female voice held a hint of noticeable sarcasm.

"You could say that Doctor..." Sakura paused with a smirk on her face, when she realized she didn't know the other woman's name yet.

"Tsunade."

The lines around Sakura's eyes crinkled with amusement. The name fit aptly. She nodded and proffered her arm towards the doctor, "I won't interfere again. I just didn't expect to feel –"

"That's fine." Tsunade cut her off. Her eyes narrowed on her patient, her face contorting into a mask of concentration.

This time Sakura braced herself for the feeling she knew was to come. It felt warm, she thought surprised, and actually very gentle. She watched her skin knit together. It hurt a little, but she was so taken with what she was watching she hardly paid it any mind. After it was healed, she felt the chakra continue to invade her body, and then it was sucked out and gone.

"That was -- new." Sakura announced thoughtfully, "Thanks."

"You're good to go kiddo."

Sakura slid off the table, before thanking the woman again. She was pitched deep into thought as she strode down the hall. A finger went to her lips as she considered what just happened. She'd honestly would never have fathomed that chakra had so many uses. It could wreak major destruction as well as heal. In her case, she was able to speak with the elements and bond with the Guardians of the planet itself. It was mind blowing in a way, she thought to herself.

For the first time since the shinobi had moved into her village. She was starting to think that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all. It wasn't that she was happy about it, but she had to admit even to herself that she would have never have experienced all these new things, if it wasn't for the Konoha Alliance changing the face of Ixion. Itachi wasn't quite certain what to think when he found himself subject to a bright and good-natured smile from his wife.

-o-

**A/N: **Until next time! Ja Ne!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry for the wait everyone. This chapter is extra long. I hope it makes up for it, even if just a little. Thanks for your patience, and even for the lack thereof.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I just borrow Kishimoto's sandbox from time to time.**

**Thanks to the Beta: Icecream Skittles Addict.**

**Chapter 10**

Eyes fluttered open beneath the silver streaming light of the moon. Sitting up slowly and cradling her head, Sakura sent a sideway glance at the window. She took note that it was still night outside. Slowly she slid out of the blankets as not to disturb Hana who still lay curled up at the end of the bed. Rising to her feet, she grabbed her robe, and quit the room. Rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hand, she let loose a bone popping yawn. She'd woken from a dreamless sleep, however she already knew even if she laid back down, she'd never reclaim her lost slumber.

There was something prickling on the edge of her senses, that drew her forward. She stepped out onto the porch, her arms wrapped tightly against her torso. As the wind around her picked up, she left the porch and went around to the back. Barefoot, she walked to the shrine at the top of the hill. Lifting a foot onto the stone dais, her toes curled against the rough feel of the gritty rock against her skin. She stopped in the center, near where the secret entryway to the sanctum lay. Curling her fingers against her stray bangs dancing in the late night breeze, she tucked the pink strands behind her ear.

Her green eyes roamed over the top of the canopy of verdant treetops on the other side of the hill below, leading out of Konoha. Her gaze fell back to where the entrance would be, and towards the shrine home. She felt the tug on her senses again, and she backed up a step. Her hand curled into a fist when she felt the ground beneath her feet rumble.

Malachite orbs widened when the rune symbols begin to light up by themselves. Sakura took several steps back, not quite believing what she was seeing. One by one, the engravings lit up one by one in obvious sequence. The air around her picked up, forcing her robe to whip almost violently. She lifted her elbow to cover her face, and then peeked out. The darkened stairwell opened to her, the sound of grinding stone loud in the silence of the night. Swallowing hard, she didn't quite know what to do.

_Do not be afraid Innocent One. _The familiar voice of one of the Guardian's echoed from witfhin her.

Cautiously she took a step forward and with suddenly firm resolve she went into the entrance. As the stone behind her slid shut, sconces along the walls lit with multi-hued blazes as she strode past. Colorful tendrils of chakra danced through her, just as it had that day when she first entered the Guardian's Sanctum. At the bottom of the steps, her eyes came to rest on her clan's ancient symbol. The Eternal Circle. The bond began to burn, and she splayed her hand over the spot against her chest, her fingers squeezing the lapels of her robe. It wasn't painful, but it heightened her awareness of the situation.

Was she expected to go into the Inner Temple again?

_Step through. You are welcome, Innocent One. _The familiar warm voice tingled against her senses, as she was again beckoned with the familiar words.

Her hand went to the gray stone, fingertips running over the surface. It rippled outward, like a puddle that had a stone dropped into its depths. Biting her lip, she lifted her foot and stepped through. Glancing down at herself, at the feel of the soft silk material against her skin. She realized that once again that her clothes had been exchanged for something more suitable for one of her station. Her light pink pajamas with black cats and robe had been exchanged for garments of pure white, that flowed to her ankles. The sleeves and hem were gilded in silver thread. Matching bells adorned her slender wrists, the tell-tale tinkle breaking the almost eerie silence. Striding down the familiar corridor she let her feet carry her to her destination. At the library, she stopped. Her gaze soaked in the sight of the books full of ancient knowledge. Unable to help herself, she strode over to a tome whose purple binding and golden letters attracted her gaze. Like a moth to flame she couldn't fight against her own curious urge as she reached to touch the binding of the book.

The familiar timbre of the woman's voice spoke to her mind; _Soon after the war with those of metal flesh and the rise of the humans wielding the Bijuu's power -- the Nuwan disappeared from Gaia. They used their remaining energy to move an island still teeming with life to another dimension. The true way to their destination has been long forgotten. The Lost Island hidden in the shadows of Helath..._

Sakura removed her hand from the fancy tome, cocking her head to the side. Her visage twisted into one of bemusement. The Nuwan? She'd never heard of them before. Just as she was about to touch the book again, a Guardian's voice prompted her to move out of the library with haste, _Come Innocent One. We must speak._

_I'm sorry. I just -- _Sakura tried to apologize but then stopped, not quite knowing how to word such a thing. With one last longing look at the library she turned sharply and headed for the room's exit. At the end of the abrupt corridor at the opposite end of the library, she found herself once again staring into a mirror. This time however, instead of being assailed with images of the past, or the shadows of her heart. The glass melted away into a golden puddle, before disappearing indefinitely.

The tile of the familiar dais appeared beneath her feet. Instead, this time the color was a dark cobalt blue, reminding the young woman of a bright and clear sky on a sunny and cloudless day. The images of the Guardians' came in clearer than just the pale shadows in her first meeting with them. The brilliant sheen and emerald green of the massive tortoise's shell drew her gaze when he spoke to her. As his shadow suggested, he looked very much like a huge turtle. His eyes were a sharp blue, a stark contrast to the rest of his green. There was a deep set wisdom there that left the shaman in awe. The leathery skin around his eyes was a bit wrinkled. Despite his lumbering appearance, his movement was very graceful and elegant. She noticed the flecks of gray patches of algae on his shell. Her eyes squinted on the bright orange creature stuck to him. Was that what they called a starfish? His deep baritone reverberated loudly throughout the darkness drawing her attention back to the present, "You are welcome here, Innocent One."

The phoenix-like Guardian's brilliant red hues streaked with a gold as bright as the sun forced her to shade and avert her eyes. A line of flames adorned the Bird's neck from the crown of his skull all the way down his back to his tail feathers. As his wings slowly flapped, oranges, yellows, and reds shimmered in an eye catching and dazzling display. It reminded her vaguely of multifaceted crystals beneath the rays of the sun. His sharp amber eyes regarded her for several long moments, his voice seemed to vibrate with untold power, "You heard our pleas inside your heart. Your ability to heed our call grows by the day."

Sakura glanced around searching for the other two, but they did not appear.

"They will not be joining us this night Innocent One – but do be concerned. My brethren listen and hear what is being spoken between us." The Tortoise informed her, his tone gentle.

The Great Bird spoke again in a voice that sent a shiver through her, "We have summoned you to us, not to request anything of you – but we are here to warn you."

"A shadow is slowly encompassing the land. You must be wary and watchful – for soon it will engulf all that you know." The Tortoise finished for him.

The shaman felt her entire body tremble at the dire warning. Goosebumps rose on the flesh of her arms, "A shadow? What do you mean by that exactly?" Sakura didn't like the sound of the ominous warning, but she wished fervently that they'd be more clear and concise.

"We can only see what is occurring to the land. As of this time we are uncertain of the source. Dark hands even as we speak, are reaching to grab hold of things best left to slumber." The great bird explained to the distraught woman.

Sakura turned her face away from them unable to meet their eyes any longer, "What would you have me do? I am but one person. If this thing is as horrible as you suggest – what is it that I _can _do?"

The Guardians exchanged a poignant glance before turning their massive visages back down towards her. The red bird leaned forward, his orange massive beak opening. Fire flared from his fork tongue before disappearing in a puff of smoke. He voiced in a somber tone, "We understand that the bond between us is new. We feel the uncertainty in your heart Innocent One."

"I'm sorry. I have not forgotten that I made an oath and I will not back down from it. For better or ill, I swore. Is there a place I should go? Is there something that I should be looking for specifically?" Sakura splayed her hands outwards, spreading her arms wide.

"Courage, is the power to go beyond oneself to protect. Love, sustains the heart it gives one the strength to protect that which is precious. Hope, is the power to believe in the future." The Tortoise conveyed somberly.

Immediately she recognized the words from the tome from her first set of trials. It wasn't an answer but she was starting to understand that it was their way of guiding her towards the correct path. Her arms settled against her sides. "I graciously thank you for the warning you give me now. I can only hope that I can live up to your expectation."

"You are not alone Innocent One." The Bird lifted his long neck and twisted it around to bring his crimson beak closer to the platform, "You have companions whose hearts also bring us strength."

Sakura's shoulders stiffened slightly at the words, lifting her chin but still unable to focus for too long on their vivid brightness. She hadn't quite expected those words from the Guardians. She queried, her voice curt, "Are they not of the kin who betrayed the gifts once bestowed on them?"

"Many have just started to forge their paths. Not all pursued the Bijuu in hope of draining their power. Each should be judged accordingly only to what they have wrought. Generations have risen and passed away before our eyes, like the seasons of Gaia – it is time to turn your eyes to the future Innocent One." The Bird's speech was sharp with rebuke.

Sakura shrank back slightly at the reproach. She hung her head, her eyes downcast.

The Tortoise's tone was full of gentle understanding, "You must come to peace with yourself Innocent One. Your heart still clings to the past. You must not lose yourself in the darkness of your own doubts."

The shaman ducked her chin. Her sides heaved with a loud heartfelt sigh, "I can only promise to do all that I am able."

"Do not fear Innocent One. You will know when it is time – to cast your light." The Tortoise's baritone was kind.

The colors around her began to blur, and she knew it was almost time for this all to end. She opened her mouth to speak, but the great Fire bird said, "Have the courage Innocent One to believe in the future. Hold courage in your right hand, love in your left, and may hope reside within."

Shards of the scape fractured, the sound reminding her vaguely of breaking glass. She glanced to the side, looking for the source of the sound. The realm shattered into fragments and when she blinked to shut her eyes against the blinding brightness she felt a warm, comforting breeze engulf her. When she opened her bleary orbs once more, she found herself standing once again in the underground chamber. Glancing around for a moment, she breathed another sigh. What a way to dismiss someone. Turning on her heel, she touched the white ring of the Haruno Crest before heading back up the stairs. As she neared the top, she heard the grinding stone from above her.

Sunlight spilled into the opening and onto the winding stairwell. She exited onto the surface. Looking around and taking in the sounds of morning, she was shocked to realize that she'd been down there all that time. In that place of in between, time seemed to melt away forgotten. Yet, the world still moved on she realized somberly.

"So that's where you disappeared last time." Itachi's foreboding tenor came from above her.

She took a step back as he suddenly flickered into view right in front of her. Swallowing hard, she bit her lip before finally responding, "Yes. I suppose you could say that."

"I'm sorry Sakura – I believe he followed me up here in search of you. He suspects me as it is," Hana's soft tone came from behind her.

She glanced back at the cat but didn't speak.

Itachi grasped her wrist none too gently, forcing her to look back at him. His tone was as brisk and as cold as ice, "It seems that you are an interesting mix of never ending secrets." He then glanced at Hana, who merely returned his glare in her usual stoically calm manner.

Sakura felt anger stirring in her gut. She tried to wrench her arm from his grasp, but to no avail. He wasn't letting go this time. She hissed up into his face, while poking him in the chest with her forefinger with her free hand, "Didn't I tell you before? We all have secrets. I still barely know you."

"You do not trust me." He finished for her.

"It's not a matter of whether I trust you or not. I don't – but isn't that to be expected? We still know very little about each other. Although I did tell you about my childhood. Isn't that a start? You haven't even returned the favor yet. Even still I don't press you for what you're not ready to give. I don't poke my nose where it's not wanted."

"I told you – you should have married the blond one. He would have been less trouble," Hana quipped with laughter evident in her voice.

Sakura felt her cheeks redden when Itachi only pulled her closer. She could feel his warm breath fanning out over her face which only made her blush harder. He peered down into her eyes and held her gaze captive with his own. He added coolly, "Do you not believe that I don't realize that there's something not quite right about your _pet._"

"You might as well tell him Sakura." Hana padded forward to stand at her side. Her amber orbs went to settle on his face, when she sat on her haunches. "There's no point of keeping it from him any longer. It will only serve to make things difficult."

Sakura remembered the words of the Guardian's and almost without thought she mumbled, "Courage, is the power to go beyond oneself to protect. Love, sustains the heart it gives one the strength to protect that which is precious. Hope, is the power to believe in the future."

"So you did go the Inner Sanctum." The feline next to her heels murmured thoughtfully.

The shaman watched Itachi's eyes flit between her and the cat. She forced her agitation back and placed a gentle hand over the one that held her ruthlessly immobile. His gaze snapped back to hers and she said in a calm tone that she didn't quite feel, "There is no point in having such a conversation here like this." Her eyes trailed down her own front in a telling gesture down to her bare feet and cat decorated pajamas, "May we return to the house to continue this discussion?"

After a moment's hesitation the male released her and finally gave her some room. His eyes took note her tussled hair and dirt-stained feet. The timbre of his tenor had lost much of its acidity when he spoke again, "Your signature disappeared. I felt you leave the house and soon after, your chakra impression completely vanished."

Understanding filled her. Her face softened perceptibly and her green orbs grew warm even while his visage remained hard. He must have gotten worried when her signature disappeared. She imagined that for a shinobi, when such a thing happened to a fellow teammate it probably didn't bode well. She reached forward and took his hand with her own. She felt herself blush again but she still threaded her fingers through his stiff digits. He looked at their linked hands and then looked at her with evident confusion. She cleared her throat, "It's a bit complicated to explain. It will probably take quite a while, and to tell you the truth – I'd rather be comfortable than continuing to stand out here in the cool of the morning with bare feet and in an old house robe."

Sakura watched his eyes narrow on her but instead of saying anything more, she turned and tugged him along towards the house. She was a bit surprised when his fingers firmed around hers instead of letting go.

Hana followed in their wake. From her position she could see the interesting look that the human male was giving Sakura. A smirk touched her mouth, and her whiskers twitched with veiled amusement. She had known all along that the human had followed her up the hill. It was time that Sakura told him more of the truth. He was a human with a sharp eye and wit. The feline had seen it in him the first time she stared into his stern black eyes.

Sakura opened the door and stepped aside, releasing her hold on his hand to give him room to pass. She shut the door behind Hana and went to settle on the couch. The feline jumped into her lap and she lifted her eyes to Itachi's rigid features. She gestured for him to sit on the couch as well, her hand patting the cushioned seat, "You might as well make yourself comfortable. This might take awhile."

Itachi sat down on the opposite end of the sofa as she suggested but his entire upper torso was as tense as a coil about ready to spring.

Sakura put a finger to her chin and glanced down at Hana who was looking at Itachi at the moment with a thought-laden gaze. The shaman could see no way around softening her words, "Well I'll just start with the most obvious thing. As you have obviously suspected Hana is not your normal run of the mill cat. She and I actually communicate together on a regular basis." At his quirked brow she added, "You remember that day when you, your father, and Sasuke used the Sharingan on me all at the same time?"

Itachi inclined his head to indicate that he did.

"Well that's when my chakra pathways finally matured," she cleared her throat when his brows snapped together, "I know you already know all this because Lady Koharu explained it to you – but – you see; I didn't know that Hana could actually talk until after that incident. Apparently she has always been able to communicate with the shamans. She has become my teacher and guide."

Itachi could see the smug smirk forming on the feline's face. He'd dealt with Kakashi's dog Pakkun on several occasions and he'd knew that particular look when he saw it. He arched a brow at Hana who merely mimicked his gesture. He turned his eyes back to Sakura, "Where were you? I witnessed you exiting an underground entrance, however that shouldn't cause your chakra signature to disappear completely."

At the gruff query the memory of the Guardians' warning came back to her. She turned her face away to shield her emotions from his all too perceptive eyes. Sakura drew in a breath and released it on a soft sigh, "I'm not certain how I can explain this to you because it really –"

"You gave that green hair tie to him didn't you?" Hana asked suddenly, her golden orbs on Sakura's countenance.

"Yes. Wai– how did you know?"

"I suspected as much," the cat stood up and jumped up on the back of the couch to get a closer look, "This was even after your pathways chose for you?" At Sakura's nod Hana's yellow eyes returned to inspecting it, "Interesting. I thought it looked familiar. Perhaps..."

Itachi's body twisted as he turned to keep a cautious eye on the strange cat.

Hana's whiskers twitched and finally she ordered Sakura, "Touch the ribbon."

"What?" Sakura's face scrunched up at the strange command. She bit her lip and looked over at Itachi's forbidding expression.

"Just do it."

"Fine," the woman huffed exasperated before sidling over closer to Itachi who was still as stiff as a board. He eyed her coolly. She cleared her throat nervously, "Hana has requested that I touch the ribbon I gave you." There was no way she was going to reach up and just do as Hana bade without telling him first.

Wordlessly he pulled the tie from his hair and placed it on his open palm. He held it out to her. Tentatively Sakura touched the soft material with her fingertips without touching his skin.

Hana jumped down on the cushion and looked right up into his face, "Boy –" at that the feline watched his eyes narrow on her. She continued while smirking at him, "I think she should have picked the blond. You are rather troublesome."

Sakura blushed three shades of red when Itachi's eyes narrowed on the feline tellingly. He could understand Hana. But how? She jerked her hand back nervously.

"Put your hand back on that ribbon!"

Obediently Sakura did as she was told, still flushed from Hana's taunt to the male sitting next to her.

"All right boy – I'm going to explain to you why Sakura's chakra signature disappeared. I'm only going to explain it once. So you better pay attention, I'm not going to repeat myself. You seem like you're at least half way intelligent... this shouldn't present a challenge," the cat's tail snaked back and forth as she spoke.

Sakura had to choke back a laugh at the look of disbelief on Itachi's face. She got the feeling that not too many dared to speak to him in such a manner. When a sound of mirth left her lips, he shot her a dark look. He didn't find anything amusing and wasn't pleased to realize that she was laughing at him for some mysterious reason. The pique on his face reminded her so much of his younger brother, she let the snicker wanting to leave her escape.

"When you gather your senses Sakura – I'll continue. I think that this is something you should hear as well," Hana shot the girl a look of annoyance.

The shaman indulged in a few more chuckles and then sobered, "Okay – I got that out of my system."

"First off, this ribbon that Sakura's given you is very important. Through it, and her you are able to understand me. I thought it looked familiar. This ribbon was her father's – well sort of," the feline lowered her chin and put her pink nose to the material, "Hmm – it's as I suspected." She glanced back at Sakura and then leveled stern eyes towards Itachi who was eyeing the feline like a specimen under a looking glass, "This gift Sakura gave you is in fact a piece of herself. A tiny fragment of her soul in fact. If anything should happen to it –" The cat sent a telling glance in Sakura's direction, "Then you will know without a doubt that something has happened to her."

"Wait!" Sakura burst out, the bridge of her nose painted crimson, "That was just a piece of the ribbon from the Guardian's Armor. It was all I had left of father and..." She turned her face away.

"Your parents have long since returned to the earth – child. There is a part of them that lives on in your heart, because you held onto their memory with everything you possibly could. Even when the sound of their voices faded from memory and their faces became half forgotten – you carried on that piece in you. And I don't understand why you did it or even how you managed to -- because you should have no longer been able to call any part of the Guardian's Armor to you – but somehow you succeeded. And you gave it to the one who was to be your future mate." Hana shook her head. "I've never seen anything like it."

Itachi gazed down at the innocent looking green ribbon in his hand and back at Sakura. He noticed that she was averting her eyes, and was refusing to look directly at him.

"That explains why you are able to sense her signature boy. I had wondered about that. I'm sure you've sensed the change in her. Soon, the other nin will not be able to track her as she grows in her abilities. Her impression is beginning to meld with the elements around her," Hana explained curtly.

"Aa. You still have yet to explain why her chakra signature disappeared," Itachi felt a little ridiculous talking to his wife's cat. He was used to conversing with summoned animals, but he still felt a little peculiar voicing his thoughts to a feline that he had only suspected was more sentient than she seemed.

"Ahh yes -- that." Hana nodded before going on, "Well you see, where you witnessed Sakura emerging from was a stairway leading down to the Inner Temple. You could return to it now and even break open the stone platform, but you would never find the entrance. It doesn't exist on this plane. I take it that the Guardian's summoned you to them?" Hana suddenly directed a question at Sakura.

The woman nodded, "Yes. They wanted to speak with me directly."

The cat's whiskers quirked and her ears flicked back. Hana lifted a paw and put it on Sakura's knee, "If it is not too private. You might as well tell us what was said now."

Itachi noticed the sudden shadow that danced through the recesses of Sakura's expressive green eyes. He hated to admit it, but it made him even more curious about her. Here he was, finally getting answers to some of his most pressing questions and yet it only gave him more. Her fingers dug slightly into his palm and before he realized what he was doing, his fingers closed over hers in a soothing gesture.

"I was given a warning. I don't understand it fully but they told me to be wary. It was something about dark hands that threaten to waken things best left to slumber. That there was a darkness encroaching over the land, and that I should keep a watchful eye. They couldn't tell me what exactly but –" Sakura shook her head, the rest that was spoken between them was too private to share.

"They?" Itachi's tenor drew her gaze to him.

"The Guardians." Sakura immediately responded.

At his look of bemusement, Hana sighed and explained, "They are the source of all living life on this planet. Living entities who command the elements and the Bijuu. Shinobi must complete a contract signed in blood to bond to those they summon to aid them," at his look of surprise the cat smirked at him, "Yes I know about that. Your kind has been doing that for generations. It's fairly common knowledge. Sakura forged a bond with the Guardian's in a similar way. However, her oath is a soul bond instead of blood. Did you see the tattoo of vines that covered her skin when you sparred with her?" At his nod the feline continued, "That was the visible evidence of her contract. When they call her to them, she meets them in the place of in-between. It's not that her signature truly disappears, it is because her physical form has left this plane for a short time."

"Hn."

"Don't think too hard boy. You might bust a vessel," Hana chuckled and then turned her head. Sakura suddenly found herself under amber scrutiny, "So they gave you a warning. I don't like the sound of what was said. I may have to go investigate." She shook her triangular shaped head and then, "I think that should do it. And boy – I know you're not used to anyone being straight to the point. Just remember that we do not follow the philosophy of your kind. So you're going to have to be satisfied with what we choose to give you."

"There is one more thing I wish to ask Hana," Sakura chewed on her lower lip a bit nervously, "I stopped in the library again. Do you know what or who the Nuwan are? It said they left somewhere unknown. I've never even heard of them."

Hana's eyes softened perceptibly, "I haven't heard that in," she shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and continued on instead, "Well Sakura that was the name of the people that you descend from. And yes there were those that left after the power struggle. Your clan, among others chose to stay behind. As far as I know you are the last of Nuwan blood – but there were others. It is possible that you aren't the last on this plane of existence. After all, your mother did find your father..."

"They left through a path called Helath." Sakura ignored her husband's curious eyes on her face. She kept her attention trained on Hana.

"That is a word from the old tongue. The language of your kind. Helath simply means, the tapestry of worlds. Ixion was another word from the long forgotten language of your kin that means warm home. Your clan name, Haruno translates to green fields. The original residents that still remain today also have strains of Nuwan blood, but they have long mixed with other human clans and eventually forgot many of the ancient ways." Hana smiled at Sakura and shook her head, "I feel rather nostalgic. It's been many generations since I've spoken of any of this."

"I wonder why they left and where they've gone," Sakura's malachite hued orbs took on a dreamy tint.

Itachi realized that he was still holding her hand and loosened his grip. She glanced over at him, startled by the loss of contact and not noticing it in the first place. She asked him softly, "Are you satisfied Itachi? We have explained what we could."

"It sounds like a children's fairy tale," his lips quirked in amusement but then he gazed down at the ribbon still gripped between them, "It is acceptable but unexpected. It is typical of you to argue with that acid tongue of yours. I seem to vaguely recall you swearing that you'd die a dog's death before telling a _bastard_ like me anything."

Sakura flushed at the memory. She scratched her cheek with her free hand and laughed nervously, "It's kind of ironic isn't it? We're even married now."

"Sounds like something you'd say," Hana sent her a stern look that spoke volumes, "You always did seem to enjoy being antagonistic – a little too much in my opinion."

"I didn't enjoy it!" Sakura huffed at the feline, aggravated at being teased so openly. "I was just trying to protect myself."

"I find myself agreeing with the cat. You did seem to take pleasure out of antagonizing certain individuals. I've never seen the old man lose his temper and then there was also that time you somehow gave my brother a static shock. I remember seeing a rather disturbing smile on your face," Itachi's eyes crinkled at the corners and even though he didn't smile there was amusement reflected in the deep obsidian of his gaze.

"Sasuke deserved it. He shouldn't ever be allowed near sake," she let loose a sharp snort. She added in a mock offended voice, "Besides – the Hokage only allowed me three days to pick between four of you. It's not like I was happy myself during that whole fiasco to begin with!"

"It doesn't matter. It still would have ended the same," the corner of Itachi's mouth tilted up into a smirk.

"Oh it would have would it? That's rather arrogant of you."

"It is not arrogance. It is simply, a fact."

Hana was somewhat startled by the change in his voice. It was obvious to her that already the male meant what he said. She hid her smile when Sakura sputtered at him indignantly, her face doing a great impression of a summer ripened tomato. Hana intervened subtly, "You know Sakura. I hate to do it, but I have to agree with him."

Sakura did a double take and jerked over to look at Hana wide eyed. "Did I just hear you right?"

"The answer lies in the ribbon."

The shaman watched the cat jump off the couch and saunter away. She frowned when she noticed the rather saucy cadence to the feline's walk. She muttered under her breath, "Damn traitor."

Sakura went to remove her hand from Itachi's grasp but gasped softly when his hold tightened. He held her gaze captive. Slowly he lifted her appendage and then he shocked her further when his lips grazed the inside of her wrist. The heat of his breath fanned out over her skin and the subtle touch sent tingles racing up her arm. Finally he released her. He stood to his feet and looked down into her countenance that was still painted in crimson shades. He tied his hair up into the standard ponytail she was used to seeing with the green ribbon before returning to his room.

His musky scent, lingered in her nostrils. He smelled like warm summer rain, she thought to herself still blushing and tingling from the simple caress. She cradled her burning cheeks in her hands. A soft sigh passed through her lips before she unfolded her legs and rose to her feet. She went to her bedroom in order to get ready for the day.

-o-

Sakura pulled the pillow over her head, when insistent paws prodded at her to get up. Finally she turned over and shot Hana a bleary eyed look when the cat didn't take the hint, "What is it? I'm trying to take a nap here. I didn't sleep much last night..." she broke off when she felt the presence of alien chakra signatures nearby.

Hana sent her one of her usual looks and Sakura sighed dramatically, running a hand through her bangs.

She groused at the feline, "Fine I get it! This must be the new national Sakura is not allowed to get any sleep day."

Grumbling under her breath as she left her bedroom, she stopped mid step when she spotted Itachi already standing at the door. She moved closer to hear the verbal exchange but by the time she was half way across the living room it was already finished. Twin sets of black eyes peered at her curiously over Itachi's shoulder before he shut the door. He turned to face her.

Their gazes met for several awkward moments and finally he cleared his throat and said, "It seems that the Uchiha Council has decided that they wish to meet you. We are to appear before them today. They have given us two hours."

Sakura was taken aback by the straight forward explanation from him. She crossed her arms then and tilted her head to the side, "That's rather demanding of them. Couldn't they at least wait until tomorrow? Two hours is hardly giving anyone time at all."

"It is not for our convenience."

Her lip furled irritably. She huffed, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in her voice, "That's rather obvious." And then her shoulders sagged when he sent her a look of censure, "All right. I'll get ready. I understand. Is there anything specific that I should keep in mind? Anything I shouldn't wear?" She didn't want a repeat of what happened with Fugaku to occur with his most important family members. She wasn't necessarily cowed, she just didn't want anymore trouble. The last thing she needed was more unwanted eyes on her. She had enough attention from outsiders as it was.

An aristocratic brow rose several notches at the softly spoken questions. He folded his arms against his chest, and leaned against the wall. His tenor was surprisingly stern, "I do not want you to cause trouble – however, I want you to also establish yourself."

She sighed audibly and rolled her eyes at him. She smirked before adding, "Well – I hate to break it to you. But whenever I do that – it tends to cause problems. Or haven't you noticed?"

He turned and opened the door. He looked back at her, his expression unreadable, "I will return to escort you when it is time. There are things I must do before then."

Sakura suddenly wanted to throw something big and preferably heavy at the back of his head. She felt like she was being tested. Again. She didn't allow her temper to surface noticeably and just nodded her head. She felt him scrutinizing her for several moments as if he was waiting for her to somehow explode on the spot. Finally he shut the door behind him leaving her there. She let out a snarl of frustration.

"Go as yourself," Hana suggested calmly while padding towards her, "I believe that he's being vague, because this is something that you have to experience and learn from on your own terms."

Sakura hit her forehead with the palm of her hand, "Yes, I gathered that. I just don't want to garner more attention than I already have. Something tells me I'm not going to enjoy this."

"What have I always told you during your lessons?"

"Frustration will only cloud your judgment," Sakura repeated the often spoken words dutifully.

"And?" the feline pressed.

"Knowledge can be a guide or an obstacle," She added thoughtfully, wondering what that had to do with her current situation.

"Perhaps it is more desirable that you have the chance to observe the situation for yourself, instead of depending on what someone else knows. It is better that you do not be blinded by the opinion of another and form your own as you see fit," Hana sat on her haunches and looked up into her face, warm amber eyes alight with wisdom.

Sakura sighed, covering her face and looking down at the cat through splayed fingers, "Why do you have to make such perfect sense all the time?" Her arms fell to her sides, "Okay I'll attend. I'll expect everything and nothing."

Hana nodded, a glint of approval in her gaze, "That is the only thing that you can do."

Sakura watched the feline walk away, and then went to her room to gather her things. She went to the hot spring out back to bathe and after quickly washing away the grime. She would not wear something that had her clan's symbol on it, but she would go as what she was. She put on the shaman's uniform, and slipped her feet into the boots. She put her hair into a high ponytail, and set the silver bracelets on her wrists. She left the bathhouse before walking up the dirt path towards the entry to the shrine. The wind rose to meet her in cheerful greeting. After inhaling a deep breath of sweet air; she went to the gate to wait for her husband.

It wasn't long before she lost her self in her surroundings. The Guardians' warning was at the back of her mind, and yet with everything feeling normal it was hard to imagine anything other than the usual early summer days coming and going in their usual manner.

She lifted her chin when she felt Itachi's approach. This time she didn't flinch when he landed in front of her. She lifted her chin when he met her eyes, before dipping her head in a silent gesture of assent. They walked side by side, the silence punctuated only by the soft tinkle of the dangling bells. She squared her shoulders as she followed Itachi through the gates of the compound. She could feel the many eyes on her as they passed by the populace lining the streets. Her gaze roamed over the nearly finished construction in wonder. She was amazed at how quickly such a huge clan domain could be put together and completed. It was almost like it's own village, separate from Konoha itself. She found herself pondering about what the Hyuuga estate actually looked like and if it was made in a similar fashion.

She glanced over her shoulder at the walls that surrounded the perimeter and scanned the entire length of the brick and mortar. It effectively cut the Uchiha clan off from the other villagers. It really wasn't all that much different than the shrine with its intent, she realized with a start.

Fugaku, Mikoto, and Sasuke were all waiting for them at an intersection in the middle of the compound. She held her silence as they greeted one another, a bit surprised to see them there. She supposed it made sense for them to accompany them. She inclined her head politely to them, and only Mikoto returned the gesture. She noticed the way Fugaku's eyes scanned her choice of dress, but he didn't choose to verbalize what it was he thought about it. Sakura was left wondering if that was a good thing or a bad thing. With the way her luck was going lately, she was inclined to think it fell into the latter category.

She was a little startled when she found herself flanked on both sides by the siblings. Sakura came up short, when they all stopped in front of a building that sat nestled on top of a hill, overlooking the entire compound. She turned and gazed out over the gated community, and the many little houses dotting the landscape. From her position she could see the colorful dots of the residents milling about their day. Squaring her shoulders, she turned and faced the double oak doors that was the entrance to the Uchiha Council room. She decided that, she was definitely unprepared for this. She should be getting used to getting blind-sided, but she supposed it was something she'd never be able to get used to.

Fugaku opened the entrance-way ahead of them. Swallowing hard, she followed the family in. She realized looking at their faces, that they were more stoic than usual. She wondered why, if this was just a meeting contrived by the elders wanting to meet her for the first time. Out of the corner of her vision, she noticed that the elders of the council were just that. They were all old men. They were dressed in long garments of dark navy blue with high collars, the sleeves of their apparel was adorned with the Uchiha fan crest. She was also surprised to note that despite their age, they all still had a full head of gray hair. It varied from spiky, like Sasuke's, to long and tied back at the nape of the neck like Itachi's or a mix of both. The Uchiha clan definitely had a certain look about them that set them apart from other people. She thought back to Hinata and Neji and their bizarre silver eyes. Clan lineage must be very guarded and extremely important to the shinobi clans, she thought to herself privately.

She sat on one of the tatami mats that had been put out for them. Sakura focused her gaze on the colorful mural behind the seated elders as Itachi and Sasuke sat on either side of her. The enticing mix of rich burgundy and deep hues of swirling blue held her eyes. Once everyone was settled and in place, she felt a sudden roll of apprehension dance up her spine. Her brows snapped together when she realized that there were guards standing at the doors. There were two men that she could see, dressed in black form fitting uniforms, their faces were partially covered by a half mask. There were probably more hiding, she decided, averting her eyes away from the exit. Sakura decided that for once, Hana was wrong. She wished she had known all this beforehand. She would have told Itachi to take a flying leap into the pond just outside his family's house before agreeing to come here.

Sakura placed folded hands primly on her lap and mentally fortified herself for what was to come.

The elderly man sitting in the center, and whom Sakura would assume to be the leader spoke first, "We are pleased that all of you arrived early. We were anxious to get this meeting underway. We do have other important matters to attend to, so we will attempt to make this quick."

Fugaku stood and inclined his head. He spoke in a formal and emotionless voice, "You honor my family Daiki-sama."

Daiki waved a dismissive grizzled hand at Fugaku and gestured for him to return to his seat. Sakura watched Itachi's father bow his head in reverence to the head elder before sitting back down.

Sakura immediately felt the intensity of the council's curious eyes upon her person.

The old man on Daiki's left, a man with a receding hairline and a long braid gestured towards her, "I do have to say Fugaku, I am rather shocked that you chose to allow your son -- a clan heir to marry an outsider without speaking to us of this matter first."

So that explained the somber expressions, Sakura thought to herself wryly. This was not going to go well.

"I apologize Norio-sama. We had wanted to speak with you about this beforehand. We decided to allow this union due to the advantage that it would afford the clan," Fugaku's voice remained level.

"I do not see how this young woman brings any advantage to our clan. She came with no wealth, nor is she of shinobi lineage," the man named Norio snapped back at Fugaku with a snarl furling his upper lip.

Sakura grumbled under her breath annoyed by the old man's attitude, "I think someone forgot to take _his_ laxatives this morning."

The words were spoken not much louder than a whisper. She heard Sasuke choke and then cough to cover up his lapse with a muttered apology. Itachi merely stiffened on her left side. One sidelong glance at him, and she knew he was less than happy with her little statement. She should have known there was a reason behind the fact that there was no formal ceremony for their marriage. Sakura knew she should be upset about the ulterior motives, but her brain was working in overtime instead. Why would Fugaku push for her marriage to Itachi or even Sasuke if he was supposed to have asked for some kind of permission first? What would have happened if she chose someone else instead?

Her lips smoothed out into a thin line. She still didn't know Itachi very well but she already knew that he'd chosen to marry her for his own personal reasons. So really, she wasn't going to get angry over this. Not yet.

"Now now Norio, before you get upset over what's done. Perhaps we should speak with the girl," the man on Daiki's right intoned in a level voice.

Sakura met his sharp eyes and felt a little off put by their intensity. The old man in the center was most likely the leader in title, but this one was the brains of this little outfit, she decided. There was a cutting intelligence hidden in the depths of the black orbs that left her just a little more than edgy.

"As you wish Toshio," Norio relented icily while folding his arms on the dark cherry wood of the long desk.

Toshio gestured for her to approach.

Rising to her feet, she linked her hands together and strode forward. Sakura held her high and her shoulders and back ramrod straight. She halted in the center and before she realized she was doing it, she had already adopted that expression that the former Ixion council had learned to loathe with a burning passion. Her head tilted to the side, regarding them coolly down the length of her nose, even though she was a short woman. Her eyes fell to half mast as she waited for one of them to address her.

Toshio threaded his fingers together and placed his chin on his hand. He was short and to the point. "Introduce yourself."

Sakura's lips quirked but she withheld the sarcasm that wanted to spill forth. Her voice was cool as she responded curtly, "Formally Lady Sakura Haruno -- now Sakura Uchiha."

The three sets of eyes narrowed on her. It was obvious that they didn't care for her lack of deference.

"Haruno," Toshio rubbed his beard between his fingertips as if considering, "That is not a name I've heard of."

He was trying to provoke her, probably an open attempt to insult her lineage. She smirked openly at him then, her upper lip curling over her teeth, "I suppose the constant traveling that your clan probably endured before settling in _my homeland_ didn't afford you much time for a proper education." Sakura watched him bristle. She ignored the gasps behind her. She continued with a dark chuckle that held no humor, "My family's clan lineage goes back further than a thousand years. How many generations does the Uchiha name go?"

Norio slammed his hands on the table and grit out at her, "You would do well not to disrespect the clan you married into..."

"Respect is earned – not given."

Norio's face contorted into a mask of rage. Daiki held a hand up, effectively silencing the other man just as he was about to give the pink haired woman a piece of his mind. His shrewd gray eyes regarded her thoughtfully. His voice was crisp and sharp when he finally spoke, "You are now apart of this clan. I suggest that you quickly come to understand your position." His eyes flit to the side, in a tell-tale gesture towards the guards.

Sakura immediately bristled. He was not only threatening her but he was effectively trying to put her in what he considered her place all at the same time.

She responded by putting a hand on her hip and fixing him with a frigid gaze of her own, "I _suggest_ that you realize that I'm not someone whose going to hide under my covers at night quivering in fear, just because you've made some kind of half-baked threat. I'm not afraid of you..."

Sakura heard the gasps behind her, she glanced over her shoulder at Fugaku who was watching her wide-eyed. He was looking at her like he'd never seen her before. Mikoto was keeping her head down and trying to avoid all eye contact. Sasuke was paler than usual but his gaze was cold and unreadable when met her eyes. His lips had thinned out to a grim line. Finally she glanced at Itachi who was looking at her with the semblance of a smile wanting to crack his expressionless face. It passed so quickly that Sakura could have sworn that she just imagined it.

She turned her back on the council and folded her arms over her chest. "Where's the bullies I encountered when I first met your family huh? Why in the hell are you kissing their asses for?" She was pointing a finger back at the elderly men in question who were at the moment hissing and grumbling in outrage. "I understand that each clan has these 'council' people, but if all they do is tear you down and tell you how to live your life then why do you even bother listening to them?"

Fugaku snapped at her, "Turn around and apologize! We will not tolerate your behavior..."

"Oh," she quirked a mocking brow at him, "And just what are you going to do about it if I don't? I don't see that I should have to apologize to those who insult me first."

Turning sharply on her heel she faced them once again.

Daiki spat at her, enraged by her disregard for respect, "It's too late for apologies – I think you've said more than enough."

She shrugged and then pointed at them, "Hah! I've already said I refuse to anyway. Like I'd tell you shitty old men sorry for anything."

Toshio was the only one who remained calm during the entire tirade. He set his arms on the table, he looked past the woman. He said over the angry voices of his comrades, "Itachi Uchiha – you have not intervened; nor have you put her in her place as would be expected of one of your station. Would you care to explain yourself?"

Sakura glanced over her shoulder as Itachi stood to his feet. She was suddenly reminded of a large jungle cat on the prowl. His strides were fluid and graceful as he approached only to stop next to her. Their eyes met a moment before he averted his gaze towards the council, "That is because I agree with her. She does not owe an apology to those who obviously set out to insult her from the moment she stood up to address the council." He ignored the shocked gasps and the 'oh mys' of his mother. He continued on in usual dry tone, "The Hokage asked the clan heirs if they would consent to marriage with the last remaining noble of the former Ixion. My father agreed to the match and I was more than willing to oblige the Hokage's request. We decided that it was a wise move to cement our blood ties with the community, and it also gave us the chance to be the first to do so. You have not had the chance to witness the respect and deference she is given by the original residents of the village. Her connection to our clan gives us compensation far more beneficial than a fortune or even an inferior bloodline of another shinobi clan."

As she listened to the attributes being listed as to why she made a good match for this clan. She put her fingers to the bridge of her nose. Her head was beginning to pound with an oncoming headache. She momentarily wondered if she could get away with giving them all a nice, nasty static shock.

Sakura met Toshio's steely regard. She could see the corner of his lips turning up at the corners. He waved a gnarled hand at Itachi, "If your family doesn't mind thinning their blood unnecessarily, then I suppose there is nothing else that we can say. It is done."

Daiki leveled his gaze on her once again, "You should consider yourself fortunate. We will forget the events of today and the words spoken between us."

Sakura threw back her head and laughed at him, "Lucky huh?" She smirked at him then, "I'll consider myself fortunate if you would just go ahead and dismiss this little meeting of yours and let us all go home."

Norio glared at her, but didn't deign to speak to her this time. He turned up his nose at her before turning his face away.

Toshio chuckled, the raspy sound drawing the attention of the room, "My apologies _child,_ this meeting is far from done. If you would resume your seat. I would be much obliged."

Daiki shot a thoughtful look at Toshio. He ran an agitated hand through his bangs but then finally agreed, "Yes I suppose _that _can be discussed." He nodded at Itachi, "We still have one pressing matter to discuss. We might as well do so now."

Out of the corner of her peripheral she saw Itachi bring his hands together, elbows coming up before inclining his head in a respectful manner. Sakura sighed when he shot her a telling glance. She relaxed her features into a blank mask before curtsying in a mock display of respect. She wouldn't bow her head to them but she could pretend to make nice. Turning sharply on her booted heel, the leather squeaking against the hard floors, she returned to her designated tatami mat and settled on it.

Daiki cleared his throat and began, "As you all probably know -- the Hokage is planning on retiring from his position this year, possibly at the end of the summer -- maybe early fall."

Fugaku and Itachi both nodded.

"He has sent out letters to all of the clan councils to inform us that he is not going to appoint any specific individual. He has decided because of all the pressure from the clans he would pick one individual that he felt best suited for the position from each of the clans that have long been with the Konoha Alliance."

"So that means that he has just selected four candidates? Akimichi, Inuzuka, Aburame, and the Nara have just settled the final agreement, and should be moving in by the end of the month," Fugaku interjected thoughtfully.

Norio agreed quickly, "That is correct."

"Do you know who he has chosen?"

Daiki reached back and pulled out two rolled up documents. He opened the red one and laid it flat. He read the names briskly, "Yes. He has selected – Uzumaki Minato, Hyuuga Hiashi, Uchiha Itachi and Sarutobi Asuma."

Sakura glanced to side when she heard Mikoto suck in a sharp breath.

"Rumor has it, that he also had other individuals in mind – but they turned the prospect down. He also goes on to note, that this is just the first set. It is probable that he will choose more eligible candidates – however he wanted to honor the main clans first," Daiki explained while rolling up the parchment.

"I would have to decline such an honor. I do not desire leadership over Konoha." Itachi was blunt and to the point, "I will inform him that I do not want the position and that he should pick another individual more suited for the position from the Uchiha clan."

When all three faces of the elderly men drained pale and then flushed red, she wondered if they were all going to have a heart attack. She was somewhat shocked by all this sudden information, but she had no real interest in how the shinobi chose their leaders.

Toshio was the first to find his voice, "We cannot accept such an answer from you. This is the first time that the Uchiha clan has been at least considered for such an esteemed rank in the Alliance," his eyes narrowed on Itachi and Sakura was shocked to see undisguised loathing directed towards her husband. In an instant the look was gone and smoothed out as if it had never been. He continued icily, "My grandson would have jumped at the chance for this opportunity."

Sakura was taken aback to see Itachi stiffen noticeably at her side. His face paled. She heard Sasuke whisper his brother's name with concern under his breath, the sound nearly unintelligible. But she caught it.

Her brows snapped together. Just what in the hell was going on?

Daiki lifted the still closed blue scroll and pointed it at Itachi, "You have no right to decline. We will send your acceptance ourselves if necessary. You will participate. We will not back down on this..."

Sakura watched Itachi's fingers dig into the material of his pant leg. His shoulders were taunt, and his face still pale. He inclined his head, his bangs hiding his face. His voice lacked any inflection when he finally relented, "I understand. If that is your final word. Then I will comply."

The shaman was loathed to see her husband bowing in such a manner to these old bastards. It wasn't right. He was too proud of a man to take something like this from anyone. The way his presence could dwarf a room, the commanding air that he held effortlessly. It was a very ugly thing for her to witness him bending to someone else's will in such a way. Sakura knew what it felt like to be backed into a corner. She just never expected to see such a thing happen to Itachi. She wanted to jump up and tell those elderly men to shove their orders where the sun could never find it, but she knew instinctively that if she did such a thing that it would only serve to make matters worse for Itachi's family. It was one thing to defend herself and her pride. It was another to speak her mind in a family situation that was by all rights and purposes, Itachi's choice.

"You are dismissed until further notice. We will confer with you at a later date Fugaku," Daiki announced in a firm tone that allowed no argument.

Fugaku stood and issued a gesture of respect. Everyone else rose and did the same. Sakura scrambled to her feet and followed the family out in silence. She felt the piercing gazes of the guards as they filed by. Sakura was never happier to feel the sun's rays on her skin. There was something oppressive about that room now that she thought back about it. No one exchanged words until they were at the family home.

Finally Fugaku spoke, "It was not wise to voice such a thing son. You should have known that they would not consent to your refusal."

Itachi didn't respond, he just dipped his chin in agreement with his father's words.

Mikoto added softly, "It's a great honor. You are the youngest chosen -- you must hold a high position of respect with the current Hokage."

Sasuke didn't say a word. He just looked at his brother and shook his head before going into the house.

Sakura wasn't sure why she felt the need to lend some kind of comfort to him. Tentatively she tugged on his sleeve and when he looked down at her questioningly, she slowly looped her arm through his loosely. She smiled at his parents, "Well, we'll be seeing you later. It's going to be dark soon and we have a few errands to run before the sun goes down. If you'll excuse us..."

Fugaku shot her a look, but he didn't bother to reply to her fake cheerfulness. Mikoto gave her a wan smile before waving weakly at them both, "We'll see you later then."

After they entered the house, she tugged on Itachi and started to walk him out of the compound.

When they quit the premises and were on the other side of the Uchiha clan wall. He murmured softly, "Thank you."

Sakura stopped mid step and looked up into his shuttered countenance. She decided to speak her mind, "You know -- I can't say I understood all that happened and why you reacted the way that you did. I suppose that I can't because I know so little about how things are done in a large clan like yours. But I do understand what it's like to have the right to make my own decisions taken away from me. I'll lend an ear should you ever want to get it off your chest."

"I am one of those who is guilty of that." He met and held her eyes. Green to onyx.

The shaman chuckled softly, "Yes I suppose – but you still gave me a choice in the end." Unlacing her arm from his she started to walk again, "But I have long moved on. I no longer dwell on what was." The smile on her face faded and she turned to look at him. He was still standing where they had stopped. She voiced her thoughts to him, "I will be here no matter what it is that you decide."

"Do you truly mean that Sakura? You do not know the things that I have done – nor may you be prepared for the things I may do in the future. I am shinobi."

At first Sakura wasn't quite certain how to take the sudden intensity in his tone. She tilted her head to the side. She thought about the warning and then let out a soft sigh before responding, "We all forge our own paths Itachi. If you should decide to tread in shadowed darkness, then I will do my best to cast light on that darkness," her eyes narrowed on his face, "However for me to be able to do so. You _must_ be the one to choose your own path. No one else has the right to do that for you."

His eyes crinkled at the corners and for the first time Sakura saw him smile. It was a very smile indeed, but it was a true one. The first one she'd ever seen from him. In that moment he looked slightly boyish. Itachi's gaze intensified, and the smile slowly faded. His tenor was slightly gruff when he finally said, "You are something else."

Sakura felt color rise to her face. She tried to look away but he stepped forward and stopped in front of her. He crooked a finger under her chin and lifted it gently. She searched his eyes questioningly. Her thoughts came to a complete halt when he slowly began to lower his head slowly towards her face. He was giving her time to back away, she realized. She felt his warm breath against the epidermis of her cheeks, and her nostrils flared beneath the assault of his masculine scent. Sakura did something that shocked them both. She met him halfway.

The moment his lips grazed hers, she felt goosebumps rise on her skin and her entire body tingled from the contact. Her arms encircled his neck and he deepened the kiss but wasn't forceful. He was giving her sweet askance, and she responded in kind. When he broke the contact first, she backed up a step. The red on her nose darkened when he ran the tips of his fingers over her cheeks, and then chuckled softly at her wide, doe-eyed expression.

Backing up another step. She put a hand on her hip and turned away to hide her flushed face. She announced loudly, "Dammit! Let's go to Ichiraku's. I'm hungry. And..." she grabbed his hand and started to drag him along with her, "I'm not cooking anything tonight." She peeked back at him. He arched a brow down at her. Sakura looked away pointedly, "Next time there's one of these meetings – I'm not going. So don't even ask me..."

"Aa. I must admit I was concerned that you would decide to punish them like you did my brother. I wouldn't want to push my luck."

"They should have only been so lucky," Sakura grumbled darkly and then shot a thoughtful glance over her shoulder at him, "Thanks by the way. I know you stood up for me and well -- your family's decision too of why they allowed you to marry me, but still -- thanks anyway."

"Enough of that. I believe that you've decided to take me on a date." Itachi announced, changing the subject abruptly.

Sakura's halted suddenly. Did she just hear him correctly? She turned to look at him gaping, "A what?"

"We are on our way to Ichiraku's for a dinner date, according to you."

She could see the glint of humor dancing in the depths of his obsidian eyes and she felt her heart rate start to pick up. He was actually teasing her. Sakura shook her head in disbelief, "Your sense humor is rather questionable." Her eyes sparkled mischievously when she added lightly, "Although perhaps I should probably be relieved that you actually have one of those."

"Hn. Perhaps."

Sakura reached forward and grabbed his hand. She started to walk in the direction of the ramen restaurant once again. She muttered offhandedly in a teasing voice, "The idea of them carving your face on the cliff side is really kind of bizarre to tell you the truth. No matter if I felt like looking at your face or not, I'd kinda have no choice but to anyway..."

"Aa. I would have a statue done. That is the normal thing for leaders to have done after all..."

"You derive pleasure by bringing up things I've said before don't you?"

"Hn."

Her brow ticked. She snapped, "Hasn't anyone ever told you that 'hn' isn't a damn answer to anything?"

"Aa."

Sakura's fingers went to the bridge of her nose and massaged it. She stopped in front of Ichiraku's and asked, "Do you mind eating here? Would you prefer something else?"

He didn't respond. Instead he tugged her inside, and sat down unceremoniously at the bar.

When Teuchi noticed them he grinned, "Ahh! Good evening Sakura!" He turned and greeted her husband, "And you too Uchiha-sama! What can I get you both this evening?"

"Where's Ayame?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Oh she's gone home for the night. She misses you, you know?"

Her lips quirked into a smile in an amused smile, "She misses the fact that I've not been around to do the dishes."

Teuchi chuckled and shook his head, "She probably does miss that -- but Ayame really does miss having you around here. She doesn't often get the opportunity to talk to people her age. She's always helping me in this shop..." He turned his back on her, and went over to the boiling vats of ramen.

Sakura's face softened and she nodded, "I'll try and stop by to say hello more often."

Teuchi turned around with a bowl in hand and surprised her by setting it down in front of her, "I took the liberties of serving you the usual."

"Thank you."

Teuchi turned to Itachi once again, "And what will you be having this evening?"

"I'll have what Sakura is having."

The old ramen shop older turned to comply. Sakura patiently waited and didn't start to eat until Itachi was served his portion. She stirred the noodles absentmindedly with a chopstick. When Teuchi shot her a warning look, she slowly began to consume her meal.

"Troublesome."

At the foreign and yet very familiar voice, Sakura lifted her head. Her eyes widened in shock. It couldn't be. There was only person she'd ever known to say that word like that. It was so unique that she knew that it had to be him. Even nearly decade later, she hadn't forgotten. Swiveling on her stool, she faced the entrance, her hands bracing against the red plastic. She felt her throat constrict when someone she thought she'd never see again stepped into the ramen shop.

Slowly she slid off the stool and her spine straightened. There was no question about it. It was him. He wore his hair the exact same way. The bushy hap-hazard short ponytail on the crown of his scalp. His slouching posture and that permanently disgruntled look on his face. It was all the same. The only difference was that he like her, had grown up.

She called out to him, "Shikamaru... is that you?"

Shikamaru lifted his somber brown eyes to rest on the woman, a stranger that had called his name. No, this woman was not completely unfamiliar. Those large green eyes and pink hair. There was no mistaking her for anyone else. He'd never met anyone else with a hair color like hers. He arched a brow at her, "Sakura?"

A small smile tugged on her mouth, "It's been -- a long time." Her eyes fell on the hitai-ite and the expression melted away in disbelief. The smile faded, "I should have realized that you were... a shinobi."

Sakura paused when she felt Itachi's hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his face curiously, somewhat taken aback by his stern countenance.

Shikamaru's eyebrows lifted quizzically. He greeted the other nin, "Good evening Uchiha-sama. It's been awhile."

Itachi inclined his head, "Yes. I see that your clan has finally come to settle in the village."

"Yes. The preparations were completed. The Akimichi clan also arrived this evening. Inuzuka will be here next week -- and if all things work out accordingly -- the Aburame clan will also arrive around the same time."

Sakura remembered hearing those names from Fugaku. She interrupted drawing both gazes back to her, "Your family is going to live here?"

Shikamaru nodded, "Yes. And you remember Kiba don't you?"

"Kiba?" A finger went to her lips, and she thought back, "He was the one with the dog right?"

"His family will be moving into Konoha soon as well."

It was a decade late but she came to a realization. It was the only explanation that she could think of. She murmured under her breath, "So that's why you were in Ixion then..." she shook her head and then murmured to herself, "I can't believe the old lady would hire shinobi for something like that." There were so many things people failed to tell her. Granted, she was a child at the time, but it still shocked her. She should have stayed in bed today, she thought to herself mutinously.

Shikamaru noticed the way she set her jaw and he knew she was less than happy with the realization. He figured there was no point in lying to her, after all these years. He agreed easily, "It's as you suspect. We were hired to investigate your parents' deaths. The Ixion Council ordered us to keep it secret and so I was unable to reveal the truth to you about why we were there at the time."

Sakura nodded and then turned her back on him. She paid Teuchi for their dinner. The old shopkeeper gave her a small smile. She tried to return it but failed. Feeling numb on the inside, she told Itachi, "I'm going to return home," and then she turned her eyes towards Shikamaru, "It was nice seeing you again. I'm sure I'll see you around town. Have a good night."

Before he could respond she had exited the premises. Shikamaru suddenly found himself the subject of attention. He grumbled under his breath about troublesome females. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this. He brushed past Itachi and sat in one of the stools. When he noticed the looming shadow standing over him, he sighed already knowing what it was the Uchiha wanted to know. He sent his trademark stare of boredom at the other man. He explained curtly, "It was a very long time ago. We were children and I had very little to do with the actual mission itself. My orders were simply to keep her company while the investigation took place."

"Hn." Itachi's eyes followed the path Sakura took. After a minute of consideration he decided to drop the subject for the present, he would however possibly look into the situation later at a time when things settled down a bit.

Shikamaru watched the Uchiha heir leave the ramen shop. He shook his head, before turning back around as the cook set down his supper. He thanked the elderly man before snapping his disposable chopsticks and dipping them into his steaming supper.

**-o-**

Sakura wasn't sure how it happened but she ended up back at her small home that sat nestled on top of the hill. She hiked to the back of the property to the stone dais where her day pretty much started. She knelt on the stone, her eyes on the setting of the sun. Brilliant jewel-toned hues streaked across the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant color.

She watched the golden radiance fade from the sky and stars take its place against the backdrop of dark violet velvet. She listened absently to the thrum of crickets and the waning evening songs from the resident brown finches and sparrows. It helped to soothe the turmoil in her heart.

Sakura sensed Itachi's presence approaching her and she let out a small sigh. She rose to her feet and brushed the specks of dirt from the material of her skirt. Sakura pivoted on her heel to face him. She apologized quickly, "I'm sorry for leaving so abruptly. I didn't want to make a total fool of myself."

"Hn."

She gave him a sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thanks for coming to check on me. I'm fine. I just wanted a little time alone to think."

He nodded in understanding but then he shocked her when he reached for her. His fingers encircled her wrist gently and before she could even remotely guess at his intentions, his other arm wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her close. For the first time since her parents passed away, she allowed herself to be embraced by someone. Burying her nose against his chest, she focused on his warmth and the strength in his arms. She didn't cry, even though her eyes stung with unshed tears. Sakura decided that it would be all right to have this one moment of weakness. The back of her throat burned, but still she murmured softly, "Thank you."

The sound was muffled against him – but he still heard it all the same.

Sakura felt his chest vibrate beneath her cheek, when he responded in the same low tone, his familiar tenor comforting, "Aa."

She shut her eyes. It wasn't a display of affection, she knew. Rather, he was giving her something that he knew that she needed. And for Sakura, in that moment – it was enough. Another small step – one in many.


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N: Here I be with another chapter, you all. Hope you like it. Sorry for being so behind guys. Life just has a way with catching up with a person!_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I just borrow Kishimoto's sandbox from time to time._**

**_Thanks to the Beta: Icecream Skittles Addict._**

**Chapter 11**

Mist covered the forest, making it difficult to see. Sakura stopped on the dirt path, her green gaze bouncing from a tree trunk on her right to the branches that held the heavy vegetation above. Crossing her arms firmly across her middle, she trembled beneath the cold air swirling through the ancient oaks brushed across the bare skin of her arms. The coarse gray gravel crunched beneath the heels of her boots when she began to walk again.

She realized that there was no bird's song, or the sound of crickets. Even the whispers she was so accustomed to in an oncoming breeze was strangely absent. It was almost as if the forest itself was asleep. She wasn't sure why she kept walking, but she felt a grip on her senses that wouldn't let up. Sakura squinted when she noticed trailing aquamarine wisps of light at the end of the barren path.

The small tendrils of color rose from the earth floating and converging, shaping into a large mass of blue-green light. Step after step the young woman walked through the swirling white mist. No matter how much she traversed the path it seemed as if the aquamarine ball of light never came any closer.

She stopped and turned to look at the patches of the dull jade grass swaying in the icy breeze. Sakura stiffened when a shadow loomed over her, engulfing her frame and blocking out the dull light. She turned to see who had approached her.

She was half way around when a voice, ominous and stringent announced to her, "You do not belong here."

A gasp left her throat when she felt something like a vice squeeze her heart. Bleary eyes snapped open, and she jackknifed in her bed. After a few moments the rigid posture in her spine relaxed slightly as the shadows still dancing in the recesses of her mind began to fade.

Hana lifted her black triangular face, amber eyes blinking blearily at Sakura. She yawned, the white prongs of her teeth appearing and then disappearing when her mouth shut. The cat sat up and turned her gaze towards the window to look at the trailing beams of sunlight streaming inside. The feline queried in a sleepy voice, "What's got you all up in a dither?"

"Dreams." Sakura answered simply. She turned to face the window, while drawing her knees up, "Strange dreams."

"Want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to much to say. I was in a forest I didn't recognize. The ground was covered in mist. I saw a turquoise light at the end of the road and then I heard a voice telling me that I didn't belong there," she explained slowly, trying to make sense of it herself.

Hana padded forward and sat on her haunches. The feline looked up into Sakura's face, "Are you certain there wasn't anything you recognized?"

"I've never seen that place in my life – but that's not surprising since I've never really left Ix – Konoha before," Sakura auto-corrected herself. She pressed her cheek against her leg, averting her eyes from Hana's penetrating amber. "It makes me uneasy but I couldn't tell you exactly why."

Hana changed the subject, "Your mate has been gone for a week. Do you know when he's supposed to be back?"

Sakura shook her head, sending tangled pink tresses bouncing, "No. He really didn't tell me anything other than he was leaving for awhile. I don't think he's supposed to anyway – to tell you the truth. I mean he is a shinobi after all."

"But you're his mate."

The woman thought back to the night he held her against him. A blush warmed her cheeks and she let her knee slide back down. It was hard to believe that a week since then had already flown by. She didn't want to admit even to herself that she actually missed him. Could they really even be called friends even if they were husband and wife? It was because she was used to his presence now, she told herself sternly.

A warm paw against her leg brought her back to the present. "Well since you so rudely woke me up out of a pleasant sleep – then I suppose I'll settle for breakfast."

Sakura let out a soft sigh as Hana went to the sliding door and nudged it open with her pink nose and slipped out.

She stood and went to her closet. Grabbing a pair of folded shorts and a dark red colored top, Sakura put the clothing on and quit her bedroom. She fed Hana, and set a pot of water on the stove to make tea for herself. By the time the kettle whistle blew, the feline was already done with her breakfast and cleaning her paws.

When Sakura settled at the table with a steaming cup of tea in her hands, Hana jumped up on the wooden surface and sat on her haunches. "Will you be going out today?"

"I suppose I should. I think I've been holed up in here a bit too long."

The feline dipped her chin, "I was going to suggest that you should take a walk to at least get outside but – I decided to let you be. You seemed to have a lot on your mind."

"You know me all too well." A soft laugh left her lips. She brought the porcelain up to her mouth and gingerly she took a sip of the steaming brown liquid.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No." Sakura set the cup down on the table. "It's better not to. To speak about it, would just be dwelling on it. It's time that I move on."

Hana's tail twitched and her whiskers quirked at Sakura's vague explanation. She ducked her head before leaping off the table, "I believe the fresh air would do you some good then."

Sakura watched the cat walk away, tail waving in the air almost saucily. She knew Hana meant well but there were even some things that she didn't want to discuss with the feline.

Rising to her feet, she gulped down the rest of the now lukewarm beverage and carried her cup to the sink. She rinsed it out and set it aside. She went to her room to gather fresh clothing before heading out to the bath. Normally she would bathe herself quickly but this morning, she let the hot water soothe her nerves. She thought back to the strange dream she had. It was bizarre that she could still remember each detail and sensation so vividly.

It had felt so cold. It had been so very quiet, no voices or whispers. It was as if, the entire forest was in a deep slumber.

Sakura sighed, and finally when her skin was starting to look wrinkly from being submersed for so long, she soaped up and rinsed off. She dried her body quickly and dressed in another pair of shorts, and a zip up green top. It was still fairly early in the morning but she could tell that it was going to be a hot day. Brushing out the damp strands of her hair, she stepped outside. She sat on the small stone steps to put on her socks and boots. Running her fingertips through her hair, she put it up into a loose ponytail, so that the tresses wouldn't be in her face.

Stretching her arms wide to get out the rest of the kinks in her now relaxed body, Sakura decided that getting outside would probably make her feel a bit better. Her stomach rumbled, and though it was a bit unorthodox of her to want ramen for breakfast, she decided that she would eat at Ichiraku's. It wasn't so much for the food as it was to visit old man Teuchi and his daughter Ayame.

When she opened the flap to the restaurant, Teuchi was the first to greet her, "Good morning Sakura. It's a bit unusual to see you out this early."

Grasping the cushion of one of the stools with one hand, she straddled the seat and propped her elbow on the counter. "Good morning Teuchi. Ayame."

"Did you come for some ramen?" Ayame leaned on the counter, her earnest brown eyes settling on Sakura's face.

"Is it ready yet? I know that it's probably a little unusual for a customer to come so early..."

"Well –" Ayame chuckled softly, "It's not as _unusual_ as you think." She lifted a hand and gestured towards the front of the restaurant.

"Oh hey Sakura," Naruto's cheerful voice caused her eyes to widen and pivot on the stool.

A smirk twisted her lips. "You really are an endless ramen pit!"

The blond patted his stomach with both hands, "You bet," and then he scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin forming, "So what brings you here so early?"

"Just out for a morning stroll."

Sakura was slightly startled when Ayame set a bowl down in front of her. She turned to look at the other woman, a pink brow raised.

"Might as well while you're here."

She smiled. "Thanks."

Teuchi picked up the ladle and filled another wooden bowl. This, Ayame handed to Naruto who also thanked her.

The pair ate in silence, the sounds of slurping the broth filled the small shop.

Sakura set down her chopsticks and grinned at Teuchi, "This was great." She reached into her purse and grabbed the appropriate coin amount and set it on the counter top.

She watched idly as Naruto polished off two more bowls with his usual vigor. Sakura shook her head, wondering where the male stored all that food inside his thin body. He was muscular but in that wiry way that all nin seemed to be.

"You want to go to the training grounds with me? I'm supposed to meet my team down there after I ate."

Sakura thought it over, and after a moment's hesitation she responded, "Sure." It wasn't like she had anything better to do, she thought to herself.

Naruto grinned and paid for his breakfast. She lifted a hand and waved at the stand owners before exiting through the flaps with the blond.

She fell into step beside the male, her green eyes noting his usually cheerful expression was more somber than usual. Sakura asked curiously, "You look serious Naruto. Is something wrong?"

He looked at her startled. When he realized that she was candid in her query he replied coolly, "No. I just have things on my mind."

"I understand." She nodded before averting her gaze.

Silence reigned between them for a short while. Once they turned to take the path to the training grounds, Naruto suddenly voiced, "I've been meaning to ask you something Sakura – you know – ever since you sparred with us."

She arched a pink brow at him. "Oh? About what?"

"Well –" He hesitated and then plunged on, "You remember the first time we met?"

Sakura threw back her head and laughed, "How can I forget? Of course I do."

He sent her an amused grin and chuckled softly. "I guess it's something none of us will forget." He shook his head and then sobered before continuing, "Anyway – I remember when you attacked us, it was like you had super strength or something. I mean you punched the city doors down like they were nothing more than toothpicks. I recall you saying something about learning that from your mother..."

Immediately she halted. Naruto stopped, and turned to look at her.

Her lip quirked. She struggled with the idea of telling him more about all that had transpired. She knew he could see the hesitation in her face, and she was relieved that he didn't press her for more.

There was an astute, inquisitive quality to those azure orbs of his that she'd never quite noticed before. It reminded her vaguely of Itachi's penetrating stare. The difference was that Naruto didn't quite have the sharp, cutting edge to it that her husband's had. She almost smirked. Hana was wrong about this one. She'll have to inform that cat that it was time for her to quit with the 'you should have picked the blond jokes.'

Finally she decided to be upfront with him. It wasn't really information that could hurt her later anyway. She folded her arms against her chest and looked up into the sky. "Well – I know you remember the day that Itachi and I were engaged." She looked at him then and at his nod, a small smile formed on her face. "Right after we left the Hokage's office, we went to his parents so that I could meet them."

"That sucks."

Startled at the interruption, she was amused when she realized that Naruto actually meant what he just said. Sakura started to walk in the direction of the training grounds. She continued to explain, "During the course of that _meeting_, I got angry and walked out to go home. Itachi came to take me back into the house. He wasn't happy that I was trying to leave before the discussion – ended. I refused and so he decided to make me obedient."

Sakura paused to let that seep in.

Immediately Naruto's head shot up, his eyes wide, "Don't tell me he used the sharingan on you..."

"You could say that." Sakura decided to keep the details to a minimum. She tilted her head to the side as the breeze picked up. "But when all that occurred my chakra pathways matured in a way that is similar to how a shinobi's blood-limit matures." She still wasn't quite sure what that all meant, she just repeated what her aunt had said.

"So what does that have to do with your ability to use chakra for super strength?"

"Well, you see –" She put a finger to her lips while she thought about the best way to explain it to him. "I don't have the same capacity for chakra as shinobi do. It takes quite a bit of my reserves to use my shaman abilities. I can still do some of what I did when we first met – to an extent. It's just that it's a waste of chakra for me to use frontal attacks like that. My mother taught me how to line my hands and feet with chakra to protect myself when I was little in case I ever got into trouble when she wasn't around.."

"What about that weapon you went after Itachi with?"

"That also had to do with my immature chakra pathways. Both my father and mother taught me how to protect myself in their own way. My father instructed me how to partially summon the Guardian's armor, and how not to cut my own head off with the scythe." She chuckled softly at the memory and then shook her head, "It's no wonder none of you took me too seriously at first."

"You can't use the," he paused and scrunched up his nose, "Guardian's armor anymore?"

"No."

"Why not?" Naruto was confused by the conjecture.

"What you witnessed was merely a poor imitation of what my father could do anyway," She sent a weak smile in his direction, "It truly was only a shadow of the greatness of a shrine warrior. Something that I believed myself to be – but I wasn't."

"I see."

"Does that sate your curiosity?" She asked softly.

"Yes." And then, "Do you miss him?"

Startled Sakura's brows winged together. It only took her a moment to realize who he was referring to. A blush tinged her cheeks. She snapped at the male with an obvious bite to her voice, "Why are you asking me something like that?"

"You do know that – it's going to be like this a lot."

She turned her face away, as if to look at the scenery of the trees that lined the dirt path. "Yes. I am aware that shinobi travel to complete missions."

"And you're all right with just sitting at home?" Naruto asked her, sending a furtive gaze her way to gauge her reaction.

Sakura stiffened at the out of the blue question. She returned his question with a query of her own, "Where are you going with all of this Naruto?"

"Well – I think that your abilities are really something err –_ unique_." He answered honestly and then quickly added, "I mean that in a good way."

"Okay so – what's your point?" Sakura frowned at him.

"My point is, maybe you could volunteer yourself to help out around here more. I mean this is your hometown," Naruto gave a small shrug.

Sakura sighed at that. She shook her head, "No. It's not that I want to sit around and do nothing. It is simply because I operate differently than shinobi. I don't think that my abilities would be as helpful to the village as you think they would be."

Naruto mumbled something unintelligible under his breath.

"What?"

"I said, oil and water." Suddenly he lengthened his strides and turned to stop in front of her. He looked down into her startled upturned face. "I'm not suggesting you go out and wreak havoc on Konoha's enemies. What I'm trying to say – is maybe you should find something that _you _can do. It would be better than sitting around at home and waiting for him to come home."

"I do not just sit around." Her eyes narrowed on Naruto's face. "There are things that I must do, just as you go to the training fields to practice – I also train my abilities."

"What for?"

Sakura was sorely tempted to knock the blond upside the head with her fist. She refrained from giving in to the urge. She remained silent after that query and Naruto fell into an uneasy silence. It was as if he could sense her ire and wasn't quite sure how she was going to respond.

When they arrived at the training field Sasuke and Sai were already waiting for Naruto. She could tell Sasuke was perturbed at Naruto – probably for taking so long. When he turned his eyes on her, his face formed into a stony mask. She could see the irritation in his dark brown orbs.

She knew that Itachi's family had to be angry at her for the way she conducted herself at the Uchiha council meeting. She could only imagine what Itachi's parents thought of her. She was rather glad she hadn't run into either of them today. Hopefully if things went well, it would be a month before she seen them again at the very least. Sakura really didn't want to spar with them again, but perhaps they'd let her watch for awhile.

Sai was the first to approach. "You're late dickless."

Naruto smirked at the other nin while patting his own upper bicep, "Whatever Sai. You must be in a hurry to get your ass kicked."

The pale shinobi spared a glance at Sakura, "I see you tagged along again Ugly. Did you come to spar?"

"No, I just came to observe." Sakura blatantly ignored his rude pet name for her.

"Hurry up dobe! You're already late as it is." Sasuke scoffed at Naruto.

"Yare yare teme, I'm coming already."

Sakura followed them to their designated practice area for that day, and settled down to watch. She bent her knees on the plush grass and relaxed. She supposed that the knowledge she gained from being a spectator could come in handy someday.

She wasn't surprised however when Sasuke didn't even bother to acknowledge her. She contemplated giving him a little static shock as her way of saying hello but decided that it wasn't worth it.

The three shinobi faced off. Sakura wasn't surprised when they all flickered out of sight at nearly the same time. It was a ninja thing, she surmised. She propped her chin on her palm and watched the three young men battle it out. It didn't take her long to realize that Naruto was just loud. She always thought shinobi were supposed to be sneaky and unseen. Naruto definitely debunked that notion quickly. Sasuke was more concise and extraordinarily quick with his attacks than his blond teammate. Sakura's eyes widened when she noticed the ink animals jump from a scroll held in Sai's hands, roaring to life before charging forward to attack their targets.

After awhile, Sakura shut her eyes and her attention went elsewhere. She had discovered in her first spar with the shinobi that their abilities were closely tied to the elements. Even from her position she could hear the voices of wind, shadow, and fire as they intermingled and formed attacks. Opening her eyes, she noticed the way the shinobi would make signs with their hands and how the elements would respond to the gesture.

A smile curved her lips. To them, it was probably just another ability, one of many. A path they could take to get stronger. She could see that even in their own way, the shinobi also depended heavily on their bond with the elements. Ironically it was one they didn't even realize that they had.

The wind picked up and she lifted her chin. Greeting whispers brushed against her cheeks, and it helped her to feel a bit more balanced emotionally and mentally. Standing up, she brushed her bangs behind her ear with soft fingertips. She decided she had watched them long enough.

She let out a small gasp when Naruto suddenly jumped down in front of her. Smears of dirt streaked his face and Sakura was hard pressed not to chuckle. Sasuke and Sai appeared behind the blond, stopping several feet away.

Naruto asked her in a soft tone, "Is everything okay Sakura?"

She was a bit amazed that even though they had all been battling it out, they had still noticed her change in position quickly.

"I was just getting ready to leave. I'm sorry if I disturbed your spar."

Naruto's brows snapped together. "You were going to leave without saying anything?"

"Yes well – I was trying not to interrupt anything important." She lifted her left shoulder in a slight shrug.

"You sure you don't want to spar with us Ugly?" Sai surprised her by asking.

"I'm sure thanks." A small smile tugged at her lips despite his persistence of insulting her.

Sasuke turned his back on them and started to make his way back towards the center of the practice field.

A mischievous grin found its way to her lips. She called after the brooding nin with a mock wave, "I'll see you later _brother_-in-law."

His shoulders stiffened noticeably and her grin turned into a full blown smirk.

Naruto covered his mouth with the back of a hand to smother the laugh that wanted to surface. It was refreshing for him to see someone actually getting under the stoic male's skin for once.

Sai's face was expressionless but his voice was tinted with exasperation when he finally spoke, "Now he's going to be in a bad mood."

"I got your back – we'll let him burn off some steam." Naruto smirked at the other nin with a knowing sparkle in his blue eyes.

"Oh," Sakura's smirk thinned into a small frown. "I"m sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your practice."

Naruto waved away her concern with a quick wave. "Nah – we could tell something has been eating at him lately. It's good to see that he isn't all ice on the inside. I think he's been needing someone to snap him out of his shitty mood."

"I'm glad to hear that I could be of service," Sakura replied wryly with a roll of the eyes.

"Well, we'll see ya later I guess." Naruto lifted a hand in farewell.

Sai nodded his head in a show of politeness before following Naruto in the direction of the slightly charred training field. Shaking her head, sent one last look in Sasuke's direction. Pivoting around she turned in the direction of town. Her steps were slow and ambling as she made her way back towards the village. She leisurely enjoyed the feel of the rising heat of the day.

Sakura gazed around thoughtfully, her eyes roaming the lines of the buildings and into the busy streets with the populace milling through the colorful merchant stands and stores. was definitely still pretty busy in Konoha even though much of the construction was pretty much done.

Her eyes widened slightly when she noticed a telltale green vest and the all too familiar bushy ponytail that sat on the crown of a dark haired head, bobbing up and down as the male ambled down the street, hands deep in the pockets of his pants. She remembered her abrupt departure from the ramen bar earlier that week. She thought about the past, and the time that had just gone by since then.

After a moment's hesitation she surged forward and strode towards her target decisively, the heels of her brown boots clicking loudly against the pavement. He looked up when he realized that someone was purposely blocking his path. Shikamaru frowned when he took note of the woman's pink hair and malachite gaze.

"Troublesome." He muttered to himself out loud.

Sakura caught the sound of his monotone and smiled a little sadly. She inquired softly, "If you're aren't busy. I'd like to have a word with you."

"I am busy but – I have the feeling that whatever it is that you've got in your head of yours, you won't let it drop and would probably follow me until I listen – so you might as well come with me." He lifted a hand, palm side up and crooked a finger at her.

"You know me all too well," she chuckled, surprised that he would recall her unrelenting nature.

She fell into step beside him and after several seconds of awkward silence she finally said what was on her mind, "I know that I was a bit abrupt at Ichiraku's. I was just really surprised to see you again after so many years. I admit that I was shocked to realize that you were a nin. When I thought about the past, I was more than a little astonished by the obvious signs that I should have at least questioned back then..." She pointed towards the hitai-ate tied around his upper right arm.

He arched a brow at her, his usually dull brown eyes perking up slightly at the tone of her voice. There were so many different emotions interspersed throughout the delicate timbre that it piqued his curiosity. She turned her head to look at him. He stopped and tilted his head to study her shuttered expression. He wasn't quite sure what she wanted from him. Just looking in her eyes was enough to make his memories rewind to a part of his life long past. He remembered the sullen girl who hadn't wanted anything to do with anyone.

Even as a little girl, she had made him work so hard at his part of the mission that he had almost come to hate the sight of her. She hadn't been anything like other children. She wasn't distracted by pretty words or dolls. Sakura hadn't wanted anything to do with other people at all. And then one afternoon when he had just been about to give up on her, he had found her in an open green field. In the same place that they were building the new school for shinobi children – if his memory served him correctly.

He had been looking for her all morning that day. His father wanted him to keep her distracted, while they conducted the investigation of her home. He'd try protesting but one glare from his father had sent him after her. After searching for the girl for hours Shikamaru had been about to give up, when finally – he had discovered her stretched out over a tuft of grass. Her small hands cradled the back of her head with sad eyes gazing into the distant heavens.

At first he thought she was looking up into the sky, believing that her parents were watching over her. It was the usual thing adults tended to tell children who lost someone important to help ease the pain. However as he approached her, she started to speak in soft hushed tones. She told him something to him that he'd never quite forgotten. It was one of those things that had came back to him years later after he too, experienced loss. It was inevitable for a shinobi, and somewhere in the back of his mind he had known that he would have to face such an occurrence himself some day. Ironically in the end, the words of a civilian child haunted him during that time in his life. She had told him in the voice of a child, words that sounded much like something an adult might say.

_It's so strange. Everything around me seems like it exists only in shades of gray. The sky is the only place that I can look at, and see color. The clouds continue to move across the blue sky. The sun still shines. It reminds me that the world continues to move on, even though my heart feels frozen in place. I don't necessarily want to feel like this, but I don't want to stop feeling like this either. I don't want to forget._

As she spoke, tears had streamed down the sides of her face. She didn't sob. She didn't wail. She didn't try to hide the fact that she was crying. It was almost as if a dam had lifted and the sorrow just spilled out. It was only then, that she had allowed him inside the barrier she kept so vigilantly around herself. It was some time after that, that he had started his habit of watching the clouds.

It was Sakura who had taught him that people weren't just another mission with a rank title. They were human – just like him.

Her voice pulled him to the present, "Anyways I'm sorry for acting the way that I did. It's just – at that time, you were the only person I could talk to."

His eyes refocused on the girl turned to woman in front of him. Even now, he could see the sorrow etched in her vibrant, emerald orbs. An old pain, awakened by his arrival in Konoha.

"You weren't just a mission. I really did think of you as a friend," his fingers folded into fists, causing his pockets to bulge, "You taught me something important Sakura. I'm sorry that at that time I couldn't be honest with you about why I was there."

Sakura shook her head. Hearing him say that to her in that nasally, matter of fact tone of his made her eyes shimmer with moisture. Rising on her toes, she delivered a soft quick, kiss to his cheek. She whispered hoarsely, "Thank you."

Settling back down on the balls of her heels, she ignored the shocked wide-eyed look he was giving her. Turning sharply on her heel, she walked away leaving him still standing there. The weight inside her chest seemed to lift and suddenly she felt lighter. It was almost as if, she'd finished the chapter of apart of her life that was a long time in coming.

Behind her, Shikamaru's sharp and intelligent brown eyes were glued to the center of her back, tracing the white circle crest. After a moment of contemplation he shook his head and let out a small snort, the shadow of a smile tugging at the left corner of his lip. "Troublesome." Then, he turned to make his way to his destination but not until after gazing skyward for a moment at a large, puffy white cloud passing by overhead.

-o-

Before she knew it, more days passed by without any sign of Itachi. He hadn't told her how long he was projected to be away. Sakura knew that some missions could take up to a month, especially since he was apart of ANBU. That's what he had called it anyway when he had given her a brief explanation of what they were and then afterwords told her she couldn't talk to anyone about it.

She had told him not too worry, she wasn't too keen on the idea of bragging about the fact that her husband liked to jump around in the trees in bedsheets.

A smirk twisted her lips when she remembered the glare he'd given her in response. Sakura leaned against the tiles of her roof, cradling the back of her head against her hands while gazing at the nearly full moon. The silver disk hung low in distance and the speckles of stars dappled the dark sky.

A few days ago when Naruto had asked if she missed Itachi, she hadn't wanted to face the fact that she might actually miss the man who was still a near stranger. It was bizarre. Sakura hardly knew the man she bound herself to. Yet in his absence, she found herself growing more aware of the void that he left behind when he was gone.

She wondered if this feeling of emptiness was due to the fact that the one person who had suddenly become such a huge part of her life was gone. After her parents' death, she had lived alone for so long. She knew that part of that was her own fault. In hindsight she realized that she herself hadn't wanted the numb feeling of pain to go away. To allow it to fade, was to forget.

Yet in the end – time had healed the pain, but the emptiness had remained. The warmth and the strength that she had experienced in Itachi's arms had allowed her to feel like she had someone there for her. If at least only for a little while.

She thought of the words she had told him shortly after the Uchiha meeting. _"If you should decide to tread in shadowed in darkness, then I will do my best to cast light on that darkness."_

In the end, she felt like her own light was dim at best. She almost felt like a hypocrite in hindsight. Thinking back on it now, Sakura realized that the words had left her lips because she had recognized that look in his eyes. It was a feeling that she understood all too well. She knew what it felt like to exist in isolation. Even if no one could even call her and Itachi exactly friends, she had still wanted him to know that he wasn't alone.

It was ironic that she, an orphan of all people, had desired so strongly to tell a man who had came from such a large family that if he found himself in darkness – that she'd be there to help him. She still wasn't sure why she'd said such an unguarded, emotional thing to him. Yet if given a second chance, she knew that without a doubt that she'd do it all over again without moment's hesitation.

She supposed that to not consider her husband even a friend would be a bit strange. Her fingertips went to her lips in remembrance of their shared kiss.

And yet – she knew, that neither truly trusted the other and both were too prideful to take the first step.

It was not in either of their natures to trust. That thought alone made her heart ache a little. She knew that he would never be able to discuss where he was going or what he was ordered to do with her.

His world was not her world and she knew that in turn, he would never understand hers. The foundation beneath them was shaky at best. Sakura was hard pressed to see a future where it was any different. She would never have believed that she would even care and yet here she was – caring about the outcome.

Turning her head to the side, she felt the cool night air brush against her face. Shutting her eyes, she let her thoughts run round and round in the recesses of her mind. Eventually the lull of the whispers and the thrum of crickets lulled her to sleep.

-o-

Itachi slipped the key into the lock to let himself inside the shrine but he was bit taken aback when he realized the door hadn't been locked. He was a bit surprised to see that several of the house lights were still on with no Sakura in sight. His fingertips grasped the porcelain mask that covered his face and walked into his bedroom. Shedding most of his ANBU uniform, he put his things away wanting more than nothing else than to lay down in his comfortable bed and go to sleep. He had run his team hard all day so they could all rest in their own beds that night. None openly protested the idea, but that was probably because they all had felt the same way after another grueling mission.

He stepped back out into the living room, to see if all the lights were still on. Ebony orbs met amber. He stepped out and peered down at the feline who was watching him with a somber expression. If Hana was out and about that meant that Sakura was out somewhere, and with the front door unlocked it meant she was nearby.

Itachi asked the cat, even knowing full well he couldn't understand her should she reply to him, "Where's Sakura?"

Hana eyed him thoughtfully for a few seconds and then finally she looked up tellingly, her whiskers twitching slightly.

The shinobi caught on quick. "The roof?"

The black feline nodded once.

He nodded his gratitude before returning outside. In a few graceful leaps in well places niches on the shrine, he was on the top of the house. He smirked at the sight of his wife asleep on the brown tiles. Her body was curled up as if to protect itself against the cool night air.

He stared at the woman for several long moments. Itachi's smirk faded into a genuine smile. He had seen his wife asleep before, but she'd been literally passed out from exhaustion. This time, the lines around her eyes were smoothed away and her body was completely relaxed.

The male strode over and after hesitating a moment he bent down to pick her up. He glanced down when her fists curled up into his shirt, petite fingers folding into the material. She buried her face against him and he wasn't quite sure what to do. The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up and get angry with him for his breech in her personal space.

Soon he realized by the sound of her breathing that she was still asleep. Jumping down off the roof, holding her tightly so as not to jar her, he returned to the house. He nudged the front door shut with his foot, and he angled himself to he could flip the lock. Immediately he strode towards her room to place her in her own bed.

Hana guessing his intentions, went to Sakura's bedroom and nudged the door open with her nose. He went to lay Sakura on the top of her bed and was confounded when he couldn't untangle her fingers from his shirt.

Itachi reached down to remove his wife's hands from his tunic, and when his skin grazed hers he heard her mumble, "No. Don't go."

The shinobi frowned down at the woman. Who would have thought she was obstinate even in her sleep? He knew that she was probably dreaming and had no idea who she was speaking to and what she was really asking.

He let out a soft sigh when her face disappeared against his chest for a moment, her cheek rubbing against him like a cat. She asked him again her green eyes looking up at him blearily, "Please?"

Itachi tried to set her down again after telling the half awake woman in a stern voice, "You don't know what you're asking Sakura." But every time he'd get one of her hands free, the other one would reach up and grab hold of the material of his shirt.

Resigned and too tired to keep up this 'argument' with his wife, he unbent his knees and stood up straight. He looked down at Hana who looked rather amused by Sakura's behavior. He shook his head and returned to his own room, not wanting to bother with the situation any longer.

When he went to lay her down against the mattress of his bed, she immediately unlatched her fingers and settled into the covers. His brows snapped together in consternation when she latched onto his pillow and cuddled with it like a child would a teddy bear. He bet a mission's worth of pay that he wouldn't be able to remove the pillow from her iron grasp.

He left the room to shut off the rest of the lights in the house. When he returned he pulled back the covers and tugged off her boots.

Itachi almost wanted to smile when he noticed that she was rubbing her nose against his pillow and murmuring something unintelligible to herself. Sitting on the bed, causing the mattress to dip, he reached over to shut off the bedroom light. They were ensconced in darkness and Itachi settled with only removing his shirt for the night. He pulled the covers up over them both and rolled on his side, his body completely relaxing from the familiar comfort that could only be found from one's own bed.

His eyes shot open when Sakura's arm suddenly draped over his side and her torso pressed against his back intimately. Apparently she'd decided that he was better than the pillow, he thought to himself silently. He pointedly ignored the fact that he could feel her softness against him. His nostrils flared when he realized he could actually smell her sweet scent and he almost groaned out loud when he realized that even when she returned to her own bed, that her fragrance would remain.

It was then that he noticed that he had actually been happy to see his wife. He had actually missed her. He had even gone so far as to retrieve her off the top of the roof. The thought didn't even bother him as much as he thought it would. Perhaps he was just too tired to really even care either way, he decided.

Just as his eyes were about to shut again, he felt the bed suddenly dip slightly and he glanced over blearily to see a pair of amber eyes gleaming back at him from the end of his bed. Somewhere in his tired thoughts, it clicked that it was just the cat joining them.

He turned over slightly and grabbed his pillow to place it back under his head. Finally, he was able to let sleep claim his exhausted mind and pull him under into its comforting folds.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I be back! I meant to wait until Christmas Eve to post this, but the next week at work is going to be intense, and I wasn't certain if I was going to have time to upload it when I was planning to. I truly hope everyone has an amazing holiday week. Consider it an early gift, if you will. I appreciate you all.**

**Thanks to the Beta: Icecream Skittles Addict!**

**-o-**

**Chapter 12**

The tickle of a very familiar rainwater scent was the first thing the half-asleep woman was aware of. Her nostrils twitched, and a pair of sleep-laden verdant orbs slowly fluttered open. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting light over the coverlet of the bed. Her fingers squeezed the red blanket, and she blinked blearily towfards Hana, who was at the moment looking at her with a peculiar look in her eyes.

Raising a brow at the feline, she sat up and that's when she started to realize that she wasn't in her own room. Her parents' old bedroom was so familiar to her that in her slowly fawakening state, she hadn't realized at first that things were just a bit out of place.

Crimson stained her cheeks, when she started to piece together the situation. She was in Itachi's bed! She glanced at the rumpled covers on the right side of the bed, where she assumed the male in question had laid next to her all night.

"You know when I teased you about ending up his end bed sooner than later. I was really just joking. I didn't think it'd be so soon." Hana remarked dryly.

With Hana's sarcastic conjecture, she suddenly came to a realization. "He's home?"

Amusement danced in the cat's eyes at Sakura's sudden outburst. Not trusting herself to respond without laughing at the befuddled woman, she merely dipped her muzzle in agreement.

Hightailing it out of the bed, she noticed her boots sitting up propped near the wall. She frowned. Sakura wracked her brain, trying to remember how it was that she ended up in her husband's bed. She slid the shoji door open and stepped out, peering into the next room almost cautiously.

Running a hand through mussed pink tresses, she found Itachi already sitting at the table with a hand wrapped around a steaming cup of tea. Red returned to her cheeks. Feeling awkward, especially after his over a week long absence, she was at a bit of a loss at what to say or do.

She cleared her throat, deciding that keeping it simple was best. "Good morning Itachi."

When he turned to face her, she felt the burning in her cheeks intensify.

"Aa. Good morning."

Ambling to the kitchen, she fumbled through the cabinets for a mug and she then proceeded to pour herself a cup of tea. She went to the table and sat across from Itachi. She sipped at the hot beverage tentatively and made a face at him, "You make this pretty strong."

"Aa."

Sighing, while rotating the beige porcelain cup absently on its saucer, she finally gathered enough courage to ask the male who was at the moment looking at her face with an intensity she hadn't seen from him before, "I'm sorry about last night..." She took another sip of the bitter concoction before continuing on, "All I remember was looking up at the stars. I hope I didn't disturb you by stumbling into your room half asleep or something."

That was the only possible explanation she could think of.

"When I returned last night, you'd fallen asleep on the roof of the house. I brought you to your room but you refused to let go of my shirt."

Sakura quelled the urge to bury her face in her hands when he recounted the details. More than just a little mortified, she mumbled apologizing again, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. You were talking in your sleep." Itachi dismissed the situation coolly, "It was obvious that you weren't aware of what you were doing."

She changed the discussion, while willing the redness in her cheeks to disappear. "I'm glad that it seems that everything went well with your, um – ninja stuff." She waved a hand airily, trying to quell the embarrassment she felt.

Signs of visible amusement glimmered in his onyx orbs. The corner of his lips tilted up, a gleam of amusement in his eyes, "Oh my 'ninja stuff' went very well."

Taking refuge in sarcasm, Sakura set her elbows on the table and smirked at him, "You don't have to explain. Let me guess – you jumped out of the trees with your buddies in your _scary _bedsheets costume, and your enemies dropped dead in fear?"

Itachi quirked an eyebrow at the woman. He was still a little shocked that she hadn't come out of his room yelling at him about waking up in his room. For some reason, he'd believed that with her volatile temperament that she would get upset once she woke up and realized where she was.

Instead she'd tried to hide her embarrassment from him. She was even going so far as to tease him. This development was unexpected indeed. He didn't like to admit that he still couldn't quite figure her out.

"Don't tell me they laughed themselves to death instead?" She arched a brow at him in return.

"Perhaps I should enroll you into the new Academy so that you would at least learn to label what I do something other than 'ninja stuff.'"

"Oh the horror. Thanks but no thanks," Sakura wrinkled her nose in feigned distaste.

"They wouldn't accept you anyway," Itachi deadpanned.

"Well you're tea sucks." She delivered the non-sequitur adroitly. Her playful visage melted away when a thought came to her. She asked softly, "I know you've just returned but – will you be out all day today?"

"I reported to the Hokage last night upon my return. He did not assign me any other duties."

She translated in a wry tone, "So in other words, you pretty much have the day off."

"Aa. Unless I am summoned in for duty."

"Yes, yes – you've explained all that before." Sakura placed her chin in the palm of her hand and fastened her eyes on her husband's face. "It's still early summer. I'd like to get out and do something. Especially before all this Hokage selection process takes place." She could only imagine the commotion in the village when the final announcement was made. Sakura could still clearly remember the celebration after the parade and all the chaos that was.

"It is unnecessary for you to inform me if you wish to leave the house for a walk."

Sakura looked into his shuttered visage, and smirked across the table at him. "Of course it is." She arched a pink brow at his still stern features. Sometimes his unblinking stare could be rather unnerving, she thought to herself privately. "But that's not the point! I wasn't really – informing you of anything, I suppose I should have been more clear. When I said I'd like to get out and do something – I meant the two of us. Together."

Itachi couldn't quite keep the look of confusion off of his face. "You want us to go out conjointly?"

Blushing, Sakura's eyes narrowed on his. "Is it so odd that I would want to get to know my husband?"

The shinobi was taken aback by his wife's forwardness. He understood that their marriage was all that tied them together. Though it was mutually agreed upon, they were virtually still strangers to one another. With that in mind, he had no intention of forcing things along between them. Itachi hadn't contemplated the fact that his new wife would even desire the chance to get to know him. He had concluded that their relationship would eventually start to grow naturally over time. Typically he planned every detail possible out, but when he couldn't really come to anything truly conclusive about the mysterious woman he had decided that it would be beneficial for him to observe before acting without a plan in mind.

As it was he had never had the time to pursue women in the years that their clan had no true home. From as far back as he could remember, he had undergone extensive training as one of the heirs to the Uchiha clan. The head clan members had ran him ragged from dawn to dusk with all the clan secrets, training, and lectures about their lineage. Being a shinobi, in a homeless Alliance of nin, his clan had always been on the move and never able to settle safely in one place until recently. When he really sat and thoroughly thought about the events in his life, he realized that he had no real idea how one maintained a proper relationship with a significant other.

Sakura watched the male sitting across from her while he ruminated in silence. Her brows snapped together. She didn't see what was so hard about coming up with an answer to her query. If he didn't want to spend time with her on his day off, he should just say so. Torn between just getting up and walking away or waiting for him to reply, she finally decided to wait it out. Rushing things never helped. That much, she knew instinctively. Reaching over almost timidly, she covered his hand with hers, her fingers gently caressing the fine, small black hairs lightly peppered on the top of the appendage. It didn't escape her notice when he stiffened slightly. His dark gaze settled on her face, almost questioningly.

She decided to pose a simple question to him. Tilting her head to the side, she asked softly, "Could you even classify the two of us as friends? Or should I say – Would you?"

Sakura removed her hand when his usually expressionless face turned into its usual stoic mask. He inquired in a crisp tone that she didn't recognize hearing ever from him, "What answers are you seeking to acquire from me?"

"I just want to know how you feel." She replied simply, before shaking her head slightly and continuing on, more than just a bit frustrated by his reluctance to open up to her, "So let me ask you again. Would you even consider us to be friends?"

Itachi felt her soft spoken query seep into his mind. He really had never given much thought to what he thought a friend was and he had never mentally classified a wife as a person that could be a friend. Really, he really just hadn't thought much about it. He had his clan, his family, his little brother. He had once been very close to one of his cousins. He couldn't say that he was friends with any of his underlings. He wasn't quite sure what they might think of him either. They followed his orders, and they completed missions together. There had been times, they had faced down death and survived. Yet, he couldn't say that he was close to any of them. For the first time in his life, Itachi wasn't quite sure how to answer what should have been a very simple question.

He decided to test the waters. "How do you feel about it?"

Itachi noticed the way her eyes lowered, and he wondered why she would hesitate at the same inquiry she gave him. Finally she lifted her chin, her emerald orbs searching his before replying, "I'd like to think we're on our way there. I've shared more about myself with you, than I have any other person; unless you count Hana whose really just witnessed the events in my life. And – for me, that had to come with some measure of trust."

Trust. That word held a meaning that a shinobi could ill afford in their life. To trust was to die. That was something that had been drilled in every nin's head from the moment they began their training. It was a word that was rarely, if ever directed at him. To hear it from this woman's mouth, a person whom had every reason to hold a fair amount of skepticism regarding what his role had been so far in her life. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. "Trust?"

"Yes. Trust." The corner of her mouth tilted up into a small smile, when she noticed the confusion in the depths of his eyes. "I know that's probably not something that's apart of the typical shinobi lifestyle, but –" Her mouth firmed and she met his gaze with an intensity of an unyielding light to her gaze, and a stubborn set to her shoulders. "I refuse to live my life married to someone who can't or won't share at least some semblance of trust with me. If we don't have at least that, then what would we have? I understand everything takes time, and honestly – I don't expect things to happen right away. I realize that is completely unrealistic considering our backgrounds. We are still little more than two strangers living in the same house – but for anything to grow from this." She made a gesture with her hand to indicate the both of them. "We have to start somewhere."

Sakura watched the shadows dance through the recesses of his obsidian orbs, as he contemplated what she had just told him. Her heart was beating fast with a feeling she didn't quite have a label for. She was almost a little frightened by what he was going to say next.

"Are you certain that it is wise to waste such an idealistic emotion on someone of my profession?" He quirked a brow at her.

The young woman realized that he was going to continue to dance around the subject. She wasn't quite sure what to think of his reaction, but it wasn't completely unexpected either. Sakura shocked them both, when she reached over the table to place a gentle hand on the side of his cheek. She felt him stiffen beneath her touch, and in response she ran her thumb in a soothing gesture slowly over the skin.

Sakura suddenly caught herself staring into the dark, mysterious depths of his eyes. The young woman felt as if she was slowly being sucked into uncharted waters.

Itachi found himself ensnared by the soulful quality of her gaze. He was certain that he'd never looked into such an expressive pair of eyes in all his days.

Long tapered fingers wrapped almost tenderly around her wrists. Her heart jumped in the confinement of her ribcage when he leaned towards her. His familiar rainwater scent entangled her senses, and she found herself unable to look away from the intensity of his gaze. Eyelashes fluttered downwards when his mouth captured hers, his warm breath fanning out over the sensitive expanse of her skin.

Curving the palm of her hand around the back column of his neck, she buried the tips of her fingers into his hair, reveling in the silky texture against her touch. She tried to press closer forgetting momentarily about the obstacle sitting between them until the edge of the table bit into her thighs reminding her that it was still there.

She broke away when he suddenly pushed the table aside, the sound of the legs scraping against the hard floor loud to her ears. She couldn't help it, she laughed softly. She blushed profusely when she felt herself pulled towards him and she found herself pressed against him. The intimacy of the sudden contact had come unexpectedly to her, and she wasn't certain how to react to his closeness.

He didn't kiss her again, instead he wrapped his arms around her and she felt his chin come to rest on the top of her head.

Sakura was the first to speak, "If not you – then who?"

She gasped softly when his arms tightened. He responded in a voice that was slightly hoarse, "This is new to me. I am uncertain of what is the proper way to behave in these situations."

Sakura placed her cheek against his shoulder, her eyes slowly shutting closed. She sighed before replying, "I don't think there is one. A proper way that is. It's something we both yet have to experience and learn."

"I did not expect that you would want to..." He cut off still uncertain what he should say to her.

"Get to know you?" Sakura finished for him. She pulled back and he released her. She settled onto her knees and found herself blushing when the strength of his gaze continued to hold its intensity.

He nodded once in response.

"I'm not – I'm not what you would call a people person." She gazed up into his eyes, and she realized that there were gray flecks interspersed around the pupil. Sakura smiled at him with amusement quivering at the corner of her lips, "I mean – I wasn't exactly nice to anyone at first. So it really doesn't surprise me that you feel the way you do but –" The smile melted away. Backing up slightly, she rose to her feet and looked down at the man who had accepted her, the only one who had wanted her, no matter what the reason was – he was the only one that had been willing to bind his life with hers. Even if the reason wasn't quite normal. To her, it still meant something. She chewed on her lower lip, contemplating on what she was about to say, but she decided that she should say it. "Itachi, I want to – meet you."

She noticed his eyes widening slightly and then his eyelids fell half mast to hide his emotions from her. Sakura wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. She threaded her fingers together nervously.

His knees unbent, and with a feline like grace he stood to gaze down into her upturned face. Every time he began to believe he was starting to understand his wife, she had to go and prove him wrong. It was strange, her heartfelt words to him, made him realize that no one had ever declared that they wanted to get to know him. He was at a loss at how to react. His next words to her were gruff. A stark warning. "You may not like what you discover."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take." Her chin tilted into a determined angle and her lips firmed into a thin, stubborn line.

Itachi's turned his head slightly to the side. He was looking at her almost like he'd never quite seen her before.

Sakura's mouth curved into a grin. "Well while you're there thinking things over. I'm going to get ready for the day. Feel free to join me or not. It's up to you." She delivered a half shrug before turning sharply on her heel and going to her bedroom, to gather some fresh clean clothes before going to the bathhouse.

A furry body brushed past her ankles when she opened the shoji door to her bedroom. Hana jumped up onto her bed, and sat on her haunches to look back at her.

Sakura merely sent the cat a small smile before sifting through her closet for something to wear.

"Where do you plan on going?" Hana started by asking softly.

"I don't know yet. I just want to go for a walk and get some fresh air," Sakura replied breezily, trying to quell the chaos running rampant in her head. Her lips still tingled with the imprint of his touch.

Silence followed and then Hana suggested coolly, "Maybe you should take him to your favorite place."

Sakura straightened at that, and then turned to face Hana with a frown. "My favorite place?"

"Yes. Don't you remember? You used to go there all the time."

Green eyes narrowed, "How would you even know about that? I stopped going there after..."

"Your parents passed away? I know. Your mother wanted me to keep an eye on you."

At the mention of her mother, the lines around her mouth and eyes softened. The left corner of her lip crooked and she shook her head, "I should have known. I think that's a good idea."

Hana's whiskers quirked and she suddenly vaulted off the bed. Her amber eyes sparkled with a mischievous light, "Don't worry. He'll go with you."

Sakura arched a brow at the feline. She lied, "I wasn't worried."

The cat ignore this and nudged the shoji door with her nose and slipped out of the small opening. The woman shook her head at Hana's antics. She left her room, bundle of clean clothing in hand, and she halted momentarily when she noticed that the table had been put back into place. Her boots had been set outside his door, and she gratefully went over and picked them up.

Stepping outside, she lifted her chin as a gust of air whistled past. Smiling, she went to quickly bathe and to ready herself for the day. There was a sense of excitement as she finished drying herself off. She put on a pair of old serviceable blue work pants, that she would often wear on a cooler day whenever she cleaned. It was going to be warm, but she rather have something that would protect her legs. She pulled a sleeveless cerulean colored top over her head.

Brushing out her hair, she did something to her hair, that her mother used to do. Flattening it out, she took bits of black twine, and tied two ponytails on both sides of her face. Outside, she put on her brown boots, her green eyes searching the yard for signs of Itachi. Shaking her head, she supposed Hana couldn't be right about everything all the time. She ruthlessly squashed the disappointment that tried to rise up.

Going to the front gate, she shut the wrought iron behind her with a decisive click. Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin startled when Itachi's familiar tenor suddenly came from beside her, "Where is it that we are going?"

Swallowing Sakura turned her face away, trying to hide the fact that he'd taken her off guard. When she lifted her eyes, she was met with that haughty smirk that was probably one of his expressions she'd gotten to know so well.

An answering grin twisted her mouth. She mock shrugged. A mischievous glint lit her eyes, "Well now – that's a secret. Are you game?"

Before he responded to her playful query, Sakura began the quick trek into the village. Her stomach rumbled with hunger and she realized she hadn't eaten yet. Out of her peripheral she noticed that Itachi had fallen into stride next to her.

They stopped at a street stand and bought a couple rice balls for each of them. Eating as they walked towards the front gate of Konoha, Sakura stopped at the entrance to the village. She threw her wrapper in a waste bin and turned to look at her husband who was watching her with a thoughtful half-lidded gaze.

"We are leaving the village?"

"Yes. We're not going far though," Sakura replied quickly.

The shinobi guards at the gate, dipped their heads respectfully in Itachi's direction. He met their eyes, and he returned the gesture with his usual cool politeness.

The morning breeze sent the grass rustling and Sakura couldn't help the smile that slashed her lips when she heard the familiar whispers against her earlobes. Lifting her face towards the blue skies, she felt her still drying ponytails sway against her cheeks.

Itachi arched a brow at her when she led him off the regular beaten path. She attempted to dodge the thorny bushes. Even though the day was already starting to warm up substantially, she was glad that she had worn pants when the material snagged on a sticker plant. She made a face when she felt a prickle scrape her skin.

This was harder then she remembered it being. Some things were just easier with a child's body, she mused with a small frown.

It didn't take Itachi long to realize that they were traversing up hill that he knew was a patrol route. He wondered if she was going to take him to the top, to lookout over the valley. He'd been up here on patrol a few times himself already. He decided he wouldn't tell her that, and let her do as she will.

His brows winged together sharply when they took a sharp left between the cleft of two rocks. So they weren't going to the top. Itachi realized that he was actually getting very curious about as where to she was planning to take him.

Sakura was so caught up in her faded memories of visiting her 'secret' place, that she hardly noticed the prickly thorns scratching the exposed skin of her arms.

Her eyes lit with contained excitement when she recognized the entrance to the place her mother had brought her to as a child. This was where, her mother had taught her the art of calling elemental fire to her hand. Halting, the gravel crunching beneath the heels of her boots, her eyes scanned the vines that had grown over the semi-exposed rock.

Itachi frowned when they stopped at a dead end. He noticed that her breathing was coming out in tiny pants, and he assumed that she was probably just taking a small break, when suddenly Sakura lifted her right hand. He tensed slightly when a blue flame flickered on top her palm, burning brightly as it slowly gained strength. Interested he drew closer to get a better look. He realized after a moment that she was speaking, but she had her voice pitched so low it sounded like nothing more than babble.

The cerulean flame melted into crimson, and after a few moments it bled into a bright, nearly blinding yellow, and then finally into radiant white.

Before Itachi could take in what he had just witnessed the sound of grinding stone drowned out the natural sounds of the forest, drawing his attention to a hidden entrance. This was definitely an unexpected. This area had been patrolled already many times, and yet no one had found any abnormalities in the area. He remembered Sakura coming up from under the ground from the stairs behind the shrine, at the top of the hill behind it. Hana had told him that it didn't exist on the same plane, and he wondered with a bit of trepidation if this wasn't something similar.

Sakura watched the vines snap and smiled when the entrance opened. She stepped to the side, "Are you ready?" When Itachi only returned her answer with stark silence, her lips turned down into a thoughtful frown. "I'll go first then."

Turning, Sakura could swear that she feel a hole being burned into the center of her back by suspicious onyx. Now that she thought about it, Itachi had never seen her manipulate the elements in such a way. A sigh left her lips as she entered the darkness. She lifted a palm and called fire to light her way.

Awareness tickled against her senses, and she paused mid-step. She didn't remember feeling this sensation as a child. Biting her lip, she wondered if she was just sensitive since the shaman within her finally awakened inside. Worried that her husband was angry with her for some reason, she began to explain as she strode forward through the shadows, "The different colored flames you just saw, is really nothing more than a bit of elemental manipulation with chakra. My mother brought me here once as a child, well – not inside here where we are now. Actually, getting the chance to see the inside, was a reward of sorts. I was so excited when I finally got it right." Her lips curved up at the corners in remembrance. "After that, I used to come here to play up until my parents passed away. This is the first time I've been here since then."

"Hn."

Sakura stopped when she noticed the first tiny blue ball of light flit past. She closed her fingers over her palm, extinguishing the makeshift light. From where she stood, she could see the glow at the end of the rocky corridor. Her throat tightened with emotion when the blurry edges of her memories of this place began to fill in with each small step she took.

Finally she began to move forward once more, in quicker steps. She came to a halt again when the tunnel widened. She glanced back at the shadowy figure of her husband lurking behind her. She gestured for him to go past her, "My gift to you, will be – allowing you to go inside first."

Even though she couldn't quite see his face, hidden in the shadows, she somehow knew he was arching a brow at her in his Uchiha way.

After several moments of hesitation he brushed past her. It wasn't because he was afraid of the unknown. It was just in his nature to suspect anything out of the usual. Instinctively, obsidian flint melted into sharingan to ready himself for anything that might possibly occur. When he finally stepped around the corner, his eyes widened substantially.

The corridor opened into a wide rocky cavern, that was lit with a soft blue light. He searched for the source, and noticed the small blue orbs floating almost lazily about the cavern, flitting to and fro like a fire fly. An altar dais just like the one on the shrine sat in the middle of shallow water. Except however the circular area was just as azure as the pyre lights themselves, and not like the stone outside the shrine. He couldn't sense any chakra nearby, nor did he believe the 'lights' were some kind of glowing bug. The fact that he couldn't explain what he saw, slightly disturbed him. He knew what he was looking at would probably be considered beautiful to look at by most, but he was naturally inclined to be suspicious of anything that had no ready explanation.

Sakura suddenly moved past him, heading straight for the altar. The water sloshed against her boots, sending ripples with each step she took. When she stepped up onto the stone, she gestured for him to follow her.

Itachi slowly strode towards her through the shallow water, and then finally after a bit of hesitation, up the steps to the platform to stand beside her. When there was no evidence of anything suspicious his crimson eyes gradually melted into obsidian.

The nin did a slow panorama of the entire vicinity from where he stood. On the other side of the dais, where he hadn't been able to see from the entrance, the back of the gray stone walls of the cavern was almost completely covered with crystal stalactites and stalagmites that formed into columns and flowstone. Pale shades of ivory tones to cream hues blended together with streaks of golden ore that made him wonder if he was actually looking at gold.

The shinobi cleared his throat, his sharp eyes flicking over towards Sakura who was looking out over the expanse with a fond, and warm expression he hadn't ever seen before. She glanced over at him when he asked her in a cool voice, "What is this place?"

"I don't know." Sakura answered honestly hearing the true query beneath the simple question. She put a finger to her lips, "Mom didn't know either when I asked her about it. She said that her father showed it to her and that he had no idea what this was for. This platform looks really similar to the one at the shrine doesn't it? I've tried to activate it a few times myself, but nothing ever happens."

Itachi noticed the runes carved into the stones. He pointed at them, "Do you know what those mean?"

Sakura shook her head, "I'm guessing it's writing of some kind from the language of the Nuwan perhaps. Hana might know, but she's never said anything about it." She turned her eyes back towards the crystal, "Either way, I just think it's pretty here."

Green eyes took note of Itachi's shuttered expression.

"Hn."

"Actually it was Hana's suggestion that I show you." She added softly, hoping that the glint in his eyes would lose a bit of the hard edge, even if just a little, "I think it's her way of accepting you. I believe that you're the first outsider to see this place, in who knows how many generations. I'm not sure, if my mother even ever brought my father here."

Sakura swallowed nervously when Itachi stepped closer to her. He halted in front of her, while holding her eyes captive with stern black orbs. She was loathe to realize she couldn't read the look on his face. He didn't look angry but he didn't look happy either. It was all she could do, not to back away from him. She'd forgotten how intimidating he could be when he put his mind to it.

"Does your aunt know of this place?"

Sakura shook her head immediately, "I seriously doubt that she does, but when it comes to her, there's no way of telling."

"Hn." Finally he said after several moments, "You spoke of trust existing between us. Do you have any trust in me at all?"

Frowning, Sakura was a bit taken aback by his suddenly blunt line of questioning. At the house he was avoiding it, but here he was openly asking her.

She decided to be as truthful as possible, while taking note of his still guarded visage. Chewing on her lower lip a moment, she thought over what she was going to say, and finally her shoulders drooped slightly. "I do." At his arching brow she repeated her words forcibly, "I do trust you. There are some things I'm admittedly not certain about – but I truly feel that I can trust you for the most part. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have agreed to marry you."

Sakura noticed the way he stiffened. It was as if he'd been expecting a completely different answer. She held her silence after that, waiting for him to respond.

"Before I left on my last mission, I decided to gather information concerning the events surrounding your parents' deaths."

Talk about being point blank! Sakura thought to herself. She wasn't quite certain how to take that, and she clasped her hands and held them in front of her chest, as if to shield herself from what he might say next. Why would he even care to look into such a thing? It was something that had happened a decade ago.

"Why would you do something like that?" There was no accusation in her voice, only an attempt to try an understand him and his motives.

"There is something about it that I do not like." He pinned her beneath onyx orbs noticing the way she seemed to shrink beneath his gaze. Itachi's sharp eyes caught the taunt lines forming around her eyes and lips at this conjecture. He immediately softened his tone along with the stern look he knew that came with being an ANBU captain, "No one could find anything – not even a clan with the Nara clan's abilities. It concerns me that the perpetrators were never found."

Sakura's mouth worked furiously as thoughts began to dance chaotically in her mind. She was unsure of what to say to him. She however quickly grasped what he was trying to say, "You're worried that whoever they are, may come back?"

Itachi dipped his head, "Aa. It is uncertain if they got what they were after. You are the last remaining link to your parents. Your abilities are unique, and it is probable that they are still out there. This is most likely the reason why your aunt had their deaths investigated by shinobi clans like the Nara's, Inuzuka's, and the Aburame's."

The weight of his words drove her down. She sat with her knees propped against the cold hard stone. She shivered when thought about what he said, and was mentally kicking herself for never thinking about the events at this angle. At the time she had only been a newly orphaned child, and she'd been so buried in the pain of her loss, that it was years before she had even learned that anyone bothered investigating it at all.

She asked, even though she believe she already knew the answer. "They didn't find anything?"

"No. The attackers that perished along with your parents, were wearing nondescript clothing with no traceable allegiance. Apparently Lady Utatane was reluctant to give any information that could aid in the search, but she finally admitted that she had no feasible idea of what the assailants could be after."

"Why? Why are you telling me all this now?" Sakura buried her face into her knees trying to stem the emotions that were wanting to spill out.

"I hadn't planned on discussing this with you unless I found anything pertinent, but after you brought me to this place, it reminded me that even though you were probably not given full disclosure of the secrets your clan due to your parents' untimely deaths, you still carry many secrets."

Lifting her chin, she looked up at him. She understood then, "Like this cave, for example. I see." She breathed in a deep sigh, "I understand what you're trying to say, but I'm going to ask again why are you telling me all this now?"

"There is nothing I can do now since the investigation has been closed for so long, and no evidence remains." He shut his eyes for a moment as if struggling with something but then he finally said, "We are taught as shinobi to follow our gut instincts. With what little I do know, I believe that it is probable that those involved may come back in search of what they were not able to gain before even after all the time that has passed. I believe Lady Utatane feels the same way, because she disclosed personal information about your clan that she had not for the actual investigation a decade ago."

Sakura shrugged helplessly then, "What you're saying makes sense – but there's nothing anyone can do about it unless the perpetrators do come back."

"Aa. I understand, however – I feel that it is something you should think about."

Several moments of silence yawned between them. Sakura voiced hoarsely, "Thanks. I – really don't know what to say." And she truly didn't. She would never have thought that Itachi would go to that length out of some kind of concern. A part of her wanted to scream that he was breaching her privacy, and the other half was still somewhat shocked that he would even care.

"I do not wish for this to come across as an order but –" Itachi started to say, but Sakura noticed the way his eyes narrowed and she knew by the somber mask he wore that whatever came out of his mouth was not something he'd easily back down on. "Do not leave the confines of Konoha without a competent shinobi present."

Her mouth thinned into a grim line. "I have managed to take care of myself just fine all these years before you _shinobi _moved into the village. I don't think you really have any right to order me around either." She glared up at him, eyes sparkling with suppressed irritation. She wasn't a helpless damsel in distress! She had lived alone for years without the help of anyone.

Sakura let out a surprised gasp when he reached down and hauled her to her feet. His grip on her upper arm was firm. She tried to yank the appendage out of his grasp but he held fast. The timbre of his voice sent a shiver down her spine, "I am not disregarding your ability." The harshness in his tone melted away, and he released her when she tried to pull away from him again, "However, your parents were unable to fight them off – do you believe that you would stand a chance on your own?"

"Dammit this is just all speculation! No one has attacked me or did anything like what you're suggesting." Sakura shot back fiercely, while backing up a step trying to avoid his piercing eyes, "I refuse to act afraid of something or someone that may no longer even be around. I think you're making something out of nothing!"

"You told me that you held some trust in me. Were you lying?" He was mercilessly point blank.

Sakura blanched at the underlaying accusation. She growled back trying to hide the hurt she felt from his ruthless query, "That's really unfair. It's not about trusting you, it's – it's... Oh why would you care anyway?"

Itachi looked away from the turmoil that twisted her face. "I am not one who enjoys controlling people. Even with this bloodline limit, it is not something that I look forward to in battle or otherwise. Too many have tried to control me – It is not my desire to do so to you." Piercing onyx searched out hesitant emerald. "It is more than possible for me to enforce my will on you. But – I will not." He turned to walk away but not before throwing back over his shoulder, "You are my wife – isn't that reason enough?"

Sakura watched him walk away from her, and she felt her heart clench. Her irritation drained away completely. He was normally so indirect with her, it was difficult for her to fathom him being so straight forward instead. His words made her think of the meeting with the Uchiha clan elders and the way they forced him to obey their will with a veiled threat.

Hesitation crawled in the confines of her stomach, but finally she opened her mouth to call his name, "Itachi!"

He stopped, but didn't turn.

She ran after him and she surprised them both when she wrapped her arms around him. She locked her hands together across his chest and pressed herself to him. Sakura felt him immediately stiffen in her arms. She laughed, the sound muffled against him when she placed her forehead against his back, "Um – didn't I already tell you that I wasn't a people person?" She turned her head to the side and she realized could hear his heartbeat. She grinned at the small realization. Emotion stirred warmly inside the confines of her heart, she quipped with a small laugh deciding to take refuge in humor, "I have to wonder who you mean by competent. Maybe you should make a list of names for me of who is eligible for such an honor."

Itachi stepped forward out of her loose embrace, and spun on his heel to face her again. He gazed down into her face, past the smile that was trying hide the turbulence that shone in her eyes, and he felt somewhat guilty knowing that he'd put that look there. He ran a fingertip down the skin of her soft cheek, "I am going to be away from Konoha often, for great lengths of time."

Sakura knew what he was trying to tell her. He was afraid that something could occur while he was away. He didn't want to lose the trust she had in him, so he was conveying that he wasn't going to force her to do something she didn't want to do. She knew that for someone like him, that was a very large concession considering he really did have the power to do it. The divide that existed between them, decreased substantially.

She swallowed around the lump in her throat, "I'll make sure never to leave the village alone. It's not like I ever go out anyway but –" The smile the touched her lips was a sad one. "I've forgotten what it's like to have someone who has an active place in my life. To even have anyone concerned for me, is something I'm also a bit unfamiliar with. Thank you."

Some emotion she couldn't discern the nature of flickered momentarily in the depths of obsidian. She went to take a step back self-consciously when his eyes continued to hold her prisoner. Finally he turned, and finally they left the cavern. Sakura sent one last glance over her shoulder at the shiny azure dais and the blue pyre flies still lazily flitting around.

Sakura lifted a palm automatically, to light their way through the winding stone corridors. She winced noticeably when the sunlight hit her vision full on when they finally stepped out into the open. Shading her eyes with an elbow over her face, she stopped for a moment to allow herself to readjust to the bright light.

The sound of grinding stone behind her, alerted her to the fact that the entrance was closing up again.

Itachi made a mental note of the location. He was quick to notice that by the time the stone wall closed, there were no visible signs of an entryway. It was entirely possible that even a Hyuuga may not be able to locate it easily.

Green eyes widened when Itachi crouched slightly, motioning at her to climb on his back again. She gaped at him like a fish, shocked by the gesture. The amusement that twisted his mouth, spurred her into action. Feeling self-conscious with him watching her from over his shoulder, she clambered on redfaced. The moment he hoisted her legs up and cradled them in his arms, he was up into the trees like a shot.

Her hair whipped frantically from the fast pace he chose. She gasped and ducked her face against his shoulder when they narrowly avoided a low hanging, thick branch.

She thought about his words of not enjoying the power of controlling others, and she remembered his response in not wanting to be in the standing for the position of Hokage. Sakura asked him suddenly, "Is obtaining the rank of a Hokage really that distasteful of a thought to you?"

Sakura's hold tightened when the male beneath her faltered suddenly. He quickly regained his momentum. She made a mental note not to ask him out of the blue questions while they were up thirty feet in the air. She bit her lip when their pace picked up substantially.

He finally replied, "It is not the thought of control that comes with the position that I dislike, but rather who would want to control me because of it is what I find _distasteful_. The role of the Hokage is one that should encompass what is in the best interest of the entire populace, but clan elders do not tend to think that way and desire such a position for their clan's gain alone. I do not relish the knowledge that I could potentially become someone's puppet."

"Why don't you just tell them to back the hell off?" She voiced the query that had been eating at her since the meeting.

"It is complicated."

The young woman could feel the emotional wall that suddenly erected itself between them. It was like a blast of cold air in her face. She didn't like it. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "Look I understand if you don't want to tell me, but –"

He interrupted, "There are times when it is better not to know things that does not concern you."

In other words, butt out. Sakura could blatantly hear the warning in his voice. She rolled her eyes expressively and sighed audibly, "What I was about to say was that – I understand... better than you may think that I do. I just want you to know that if you ever need my help, I'll do what I can to assist."

She felt more than heard his dark chuckle. "I appreciate the offer but it will be for the best if you stay uninvolved."

Sakura rolled her eyes dramatically heavenward again. She was pressed to think of anyone that was more hard headed than Itachi. Once he put his mind to something, he was not one to relent nor back down. She couldn't understand how anyone could control someone like him. He was intelligent, and he seemed to know his own mind quite well. She really couldn't make sense of how those old men could control someone as strong willed as him.

There was still time. Perhaps she would be able to think of a way to help him botch his chance, without it looking like he was doing it intentionally. She knew the biggest factor wasn't pride here, but instead it was more than likely the fact that his clan would probably never let him live such a thing down if they found out he was being noticeably deliberate in an attempt to fail. They'd probably kick him out or something, she mused wryly. She knew Itachi would never agree to such a thing anyway. In fact, she thought about his reaction should Itachi found her meddling in his personal affairs, and the probable outcome made her wince internally.

She waved at the entrance guards cheerfully as they flashed past in a blur. Itachi finally stopped once they were on the other side of the gate. She quickly slid off, to stand on her own feet. Her stomach rumbled and she sent him a sheepish smile, "Well I guess the rice ball breakfast is long gone. You want to go on a date?"

Itachi noticed the mischievous glint in her eye. He knew she was trying to tease him, like he had her a couple weeks ago. He inquired smoothly not showing that the sudden query had unsettled him for even a moment, "Another date?" A masculine smirk twisted at the corner of his lips, "Did you have a place in mind, or did you wish for me to choose?"

She grinned back playfully, "As long as it's not Ichiraku's... I'll let you decide."

Sakura was a bit startled when he offered her his arm.

Lacing her appendage through his, she allowed him to lead her. She felt the warmth coming through the material of his dark gray shirt. Glancing up at him out of the corner of her eyes, pink tinged her cheeks when she realized that she was becoming more and more attracted to her husband. He was handsome, she mentally admitted somewhat reluctantly.

She had scoffed at other women for their silly behavior towards him. Even as good looking as he was, she didn't think that she would react so strongly towards someone she didn't really know just because of what they looked like. After all, for a large chunk of her life, she had looked at most people as nuisances that she was better off ignoring. She hadn't ever really given any thought to a person's appearance. She had only contrived ways to keep them away from her and her home.

Sakura hadn't really ever given her own looks much thought, she had always dressed according to whatever image she needed to project at the time. From the village witch to shaman in training, and in all that time, she hadn't really taken her own appearance as a woman into account either. In her mind, she was always just simply Sakura.

Itachi noticed Sakura's glazed faraway look, and he wondered what prompted such an expression on her features.

He cleared his throat, "We have arrived."

Her husband's distinct tenor drew her out of her mental reverie, and she blinked rapidly to focus on the building in front of her. The fragrant scent of fresh, cooking food caused her stomach to rumble again, reminding her that she was famished.

"This place is new," Sakura murmured to herself, not remembering having seen it around. She murmured softly, "Yakiniku huh?"

When they stepped inside, a server moved forward to greet them immediately. He bowed at the waist politely, "Uchiha-sama – welcome to our humble establishment."

He recognized him, Sakura thought to herself quietly, that mean that the restaurant must have been built and started after the merging. The Ixion locals were still learning the social ranks of the shinobi, and what clans were truly prominent.

Itachi nodded once at the young man. He gestured for them to follow, after picking up a couple menus from on top of a dark wooden stand.

As Sakura fell into step behind Itachi, to walk through the narrow walk way between blue plastic booths and tables, she stopped mid step when she heard a familiar male voice.

"Troublesome."

A smile touched her lips. She glanced to the side to see Shikamaru sitting at a booth with three other nin. Her eyes widened when she noticed a big white dog laying on the floor next to his master. She frowned at the sight, she had never seen a restaurant allow pets inside before, especially ones so large. When she got a good look at the dog's brown years and the crimson fangs painted on the young man's face, she breathed, "That can't be Kiba?" And then she noticed the heavier set young man sitting next to him, with unforgettable red pinwheels etched into pale cheeks. She whispered to herself, "Choji too..."

Just seeing the three of them sitting together, was enough to send her back mentally ten years into the past. She remembered Shikamaru alluding to that they had plans to move into Konoha also, but she hadn't given it much thought. She had admittedly less contact with Choji and Kiba than Shikamaru, but nevertheless, they had been there during the time in her life where she had been caught, drowning in her own grief. In a way, it was their presence in the village that had brought her out of the gray that had become her world. Then, they had disappeared as if they'd never been there, like the shinobi they were. However, unlike her first meeting with Shikamaru, it didn't stir her emotions, but rather her memories of that time.

"Sakura?" Itachi stopped when he realized that his wife had long stopped following him and the server to their table.

When he saw the direction of her gaze, he frowned. He said her name again, but she didn't look back. Instead she moved towards the small trio. He sighed and signaled the server to wait. The young man nodded, but then gestured to the table that he had procured before setting the menus down, and striding away.

Itachi followed his wife, while hoping that they could avoid an emotional scene or outburst.

Kiba was the first to swivel to the side and look up at her. She watched as the confusion in his sharp brown eyes gave way to recognition. She glanced down when she felt the dog's nose press up against her leg.

She couldn't help the smile that slashed her lips, "That can't be you Akamaru. You've gotten so big."

Akamaru woofed at her, tongue lolling merrily as he sat up on his haunches to greet her properly.

Reaching forward, she buried her hands into his soft fur, and scratched him on the top of his head. Akamaru emitted a low whine before laying back down again and burying his chin against his paws.

Kiba smirked at her, "Hey Pinkie. You've grown quite a bit yourself." His brown eyes roamed leisurely from her feet to her face. His lips fell into a thin line when he noticed Itachi Uchiha standing behind her, staring right back at him with a look on his face that made the nin feel a bit uncomfortable. He shifted slightly in his seat, and averted his eyes.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru uttered under his breath while eyeing the couple that had sauntered over to their table.

Choji pulled his meat off the heated coils in the center of the table, and sat back to look at the pink haired woman contemplatively for a few moments. He remembered those cotton candy colored tresses even from so long ago. He blew air on the hot food to cool it down, so it wouldn't burn his mouth. He shoved the steaming piece of beef in his mouth before greeting the girl turned to woman, "Hello Sakura. It's been a long time."

"Yes, yes it has. Hello Choji," Sakura greeted him back with a bit of a smile on her lips. She raised a brow at Kiba who for some reason had seemed to clam up, "Shikamaru told me that you were going to move into Konoha Kiba. You shinobi are overrunning my village." She placed a hand saucily on her hip, the corners of her lips quivering with quelled mirth.

Shikamaru arched a brow at the Uchiha who still towered behind Sakura. He cleared his throat tellingly, "Hello Uchiha-sama. I see you and your wife are out and about again."

At the mention of wife, he noticed Kiba's eyes widen substantially. He himself had been shocked when he found out that the two were actually married. He had later learned how it had all came about from a conversation with Naruto. They remembered the little girl she had been, and when one thought about the dictates of clan life, she just really didn't fit the picture. Even in the throes of grief, she'd been so outspoken, and stubborn to the point of forcing even the council of the village to let her do as she will.

Sakura looked back at her husband with a sheepish smile on her face, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to say hello to everyone." Really, she hadn't been quite certain of what she'd wanted to say to the trio of males at the table, but she had felt compelled to come over and speak to them.

He dipped his head in Shikamaru's direction before turning his attention back to Sakura, "Aa, I'll wait for you at the table. Do you want me to order for you?"

"Please, I'll be over in just a minute or two," Sakura responded with a small smile adorning her lips.

Itachi nodded before pivoting on his heel, and headed towards the gesturing waiter.

Sakura returned her attention to the shinobi.

Feeling slightly relieved that Itachi had given them some privacy, she knew she would feel strange saying what she wanted to say to them in front of her husband.

In a way, she just wanted to thank Kiba and Choji, just as she had Shikamaru. It was strange for her, to say the least considering how she'd felt with the village's merging initially. She knew that really, they had been just hired to do a job. Unlike her, they had no emotional connection to the loss she had experienced. But in the end, they were people who had tried to find out the truth concerning her parents' deaths. It would be like closing another door to the darkened path to her past. She wanted to move beyond the shadows that still lurked in the corners of her heart.

Shikamaru watched the lines around her eyes crinkle slightly at the corners, and the way her eyes turned glossy.

Kiba murmured, drawing everyone's attention to him, "You know? I really can't believe you married an Uchiha of all clans. How in the hell did that happen?"

Sakura couldn't help the chuckle that escaped, "I can't believe it either myself," her countenance sobered and she continued, "To make a long story short, it was something the Hokage himself decided on since I apparently needed someone to keep an eye on me."

"And the Uchiha clan agreed to it?" Kiba snorted in complete disbelief.

"You could say that." She decided that was more than enough elaboration on that subject, and her voice softened all traces of mirth gone, her eyes flitting nervously between Choji and Kiba, "I know this has been a long time in coming, but – thank you."

"For what?" Choji suddenly interjected confused by the continual changes in topic. He finally turned in his seat to face the strange woman, his hand still fisted around a skewer with partially cooked meat.

Not for the first time, Shikamaru felt a small stirring of respect for the woman. Already he knew what it was that she was trying to do. She really was something else. There was no one else like her, he thought to himself privately. He watched her lips work giving away her nervousness, and the melancholy that was beginning to twist her features. He interrupted with a wave of the hand, "Sakura I believe the waiter is bringing your drinks to your table." He leveled a look at her that spoke volumes, "You're welcome Sakura."

He watched her visibly swallow and finally she delivered a sharp nod before turning to head over to her table.

Choji and Kiba both turned to look at him, seeking answers to a question they didn't quite understand.

"I'm sure you recall the mission we undertook concerning the death of her parents." He posed the query as more of a statement, because he knew that they did. It was one of the few cases their clans had took on, that they hadn't been able to find a viable answer to.

Both males nodded, still waiting for more explanation.

Shikamaru folded his hands together and propped his elbows on the table. He sighed audibly before continuing to explain, "That was a time in her life that she felt she wasn't able to accomplish anything, she is simply thanking you for having done something. Even though we weren't able to achieve any results from it, she still feels that it was something more than what she could have done. At least that's what I've concluded. She is still as prideful as she was back when we first met her. The way she's thanking us for that, proves it."

"An Uchiha. I still can't believe it," Kiba shook his head in complete disbelief after Shikamaru explained it to them.

"Why is that?" Shikamaru could easily admit that he'd been a bit shocked himself, but he didn't quite understand why Kiba was so surprised by the whole thing.

"She just seems too – spirited for anyone in that clan." Kiba sighed, and then looked at Choji who had longed resumed eating.

"Well it was either that or an Uzumaki, or a Hyuuga," Shikamaru shrugged, but finally understanding where Kiba's disbelief stemmed from. They had all met the spouses of the Uchiha clansmen during combined missions, and the obedient and quiet demeanor that, that particular clan's women were known for was definitely not something any of them could see Sakura adhering to – ever. Ten years could change a person, especially from childhood to adult, but from some of the things Naruto had told him – Sakura was still as hardheaded and stubborn as ever.

"Say what?" Kiba arched a brow at the stoic male sitting across from him.

"It's a long story," Shikamaru delivered a half-shrug.

"We've got time. And how did you hear all about it anyway?" Kiba pressed, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Shikamaru decided it couldn't hurt to explain some of the events concerning the pinkette that had transpired before their clans had finally made the move into the new Hidden Village. He really wasn't one prone to gossip but having known Kiba as long as he had, he knew he wouldn't get any peace until he sated the Inu nin's curiosity.

-o-

Sakura looked at the assorted raw meat, sliced vegetables and skewers on the platters that was set before them. She frowned, "So wait? We have to cook our own food."

"Yes."

"Interesting," She responded before picking up a metal skewer and piercing a piece of sliced, seasoned chicken and a sliver of bell pepper and onion.

"You seem quite friendly with them," Itachi suddenly said in a low, quiet tone.

"Huh?" Sakura lifted her head and then once his words finally registered in her distracted state of mind, she shook her head, "Really it's not that I know them all that well. Honestly I hardly saw Choji and Kiba when they had come to investigate the mystery surrounding my parents' deaths. It's just I felt that, after so long – I owed them some kind of thanks." She admitted the last with a blush rising in her cheeks.

Itachi's brows snapped together at that. She was quite the hellion, and had created quite a ruckus when they had initially arrived in Ixion as diplomats of the Konoha Alliance. Even after that, she hadn't been all that accepting of the shinobi moving in. There were times even now, she still closed off to him concerning matters that involved her heritage. Yet with the trio at the other table, her mannerisms and facial expressions were different. Softer. She was polite and a little more at ease. He hated to admit that, he didn't like it when she looked at other men that way.

"You feel that you owe them gratitude? It was simply a mission that they were paid to do." Itachi frowned across the table at her, "From what I understand, they were compensated more than adequately for their time here."

"I know. It's just that – I don't know. I guess it's my way of letting go of things I really hadn't been able to. I suppose most people move on more quickly then I was able to but," Sakura fixed her gaze on the cooking food, "I guess that was my fault. I was really stubborn about it. I just didn't want to move on. I believed to let go was to betray my parents. It was even harder I suppose because there was no closure concerning the whole thing."

"What changed your perception?" Itachi asked, noticing the way the color of her eyes almost seemed to intensify when they fastened on his.

"It's weird. I think that over the years, as time passed I had already let go of most of it without even realizing that I was doing it." She pulled the meat off the heat, and checked it to make sure it was done. She continued in a sotto voice, "But with the recent events in my life, it brought a lot of things back to me that I'd forgotten along the way. I was forced to face the things that I hadn't released yet. With the arrival of the Konoha Alliance, it was like I suddenly had to face all my faults. I had to change the way I thought because I realized that it wasn't right anymore. Keeping people out of my life – making certain that I was feared so that I would be left alone, to protect something I found out later that didn't exist the way I thought it did. It's been a rather humbling experience actually."

"That explains much about the shift in your behavior," Itachi knew that the acid tongue she wielded like a weapon lay just beneath the surface and that eventually it would make itself known again, at more than likely, a most inopportune time.

"You can't be telling me that you are missing the sarcasm?" A smirk tilted her lips, amusement dancing in her sea foam hued orbs.

Itachi arched an aristocratic brow at that, "I wouldn't confuse your feelings for my own. I have enjoyed the relative peace."

Sakura rolled her eyes at him. Dipping the meat into a ginger based sauce she tentatively bit into it and was pleased by the flavors the small table grill gave the food. "This is pretty good." She commented lightly, deciding that the direction of the conversation was a bit too heavy for a 'date.'

"Aa." He agreed with her, noticing the abrupt change of her mood. There were times he wasn't quite certain he could keep up with her in that respect. She was decidedly difficult to read at most times.

Layering the next set of food choices on the rod in her hand, she placed it back on the heat to cook. Biting her lip, she decided to ask him the very thing Naruto had brought up to her, "Do you think that I should be more helpful to the village?"

Itachi frowned at her. How could someone be so direct and not quite make sense? It was quite a rare, and annoying talent she had. He tilted his head to the side, obsidian orbs narrowing on her face, "Please elaborate."

"Naruto was telling me the other day that maybe since you're going to be gone a lot, that maybe I should use the abilities that I do have, to be more um – helpful around the village. I don't think that the things I can do would really be of much use in the way he seems to think it would be," Sakura reached over to flip the skewer over, so that it could cook the other side.

He ruminated on her question thoroughly before coming to an answer. Itachi pulled his prong off the heat, and set it on his plate. He finally replied, "That is a difficult question for me to answer." At the query in her eyes he continued, "I have very little understanding of what your abilities really are. That is partly because you have made it known that you desire to keep most of what it is that you can do to yourself. It would be more practical for you to decide how much you are willing to do, and what you're actually willing to let others see. If you still wish to maintain most of your secrecy even after you finally decide, perhaps you should wait until the next Hokage is appointed to see if you would want to serve under the orders of that person."

Sakura nodded at the straightforward response. She returned quietly, "That makes sense. His words just made me think about myself in a way I never had before. I've been learning whatever Hana wishes to teach me, and when Naruto brought it up, it made me wonder – What was I planning to do with all this new knowledge exactly? I know I repeated to you and Hana what the Guardian's told me word for word, but even now – it's still a bit too much for me to take in. Where am I supposed to even start searching for an answer to a riddle about some kind of obscure darkness?"

She glanced up startled when a warm hand suddenly covered one of her own.

Itachi made certain that her attention was on him completely before he spoke again. When her eyes finally sat riveted on his face, he intoned in a warm tenor that made her heart flutter, "I believe that you are attempting to take care of too many things all at once. No one but yourself can come to terms with the decision you make in terms of how you choose to use your abilities. This is one of the elementary things that every nin learns very early in life. As for the riddle you speak of, all you can do is be vigilant and be aware of your surroundings with so little information."

Sakura leaned back, withdrawing her hand slowly. Biting her lower lip, she concluded quickly that Itachi was probably right. The past few months had been rather hectic, and her life had changed so dramatically from what it was. She was married, and she was still just getting used to the idea. She buried her fingertips into her hair. A soft sigh escaped her, "Yeah I think that's probably what I'm doing."

When she grew completely silent afterward, Itachi decided that it was time to pay the bill and leave when she started to pick at her food.

He gestured for the waiter to come to the table, and requested their tab. Once he paid, he glanced over at the still quiet female, who was obviously lost in her thoughts. Rising to his feet, he waited for her to follow suit. Finally she stood, and they left the restaurant.

Sakura uttered gently, when they stepped outside the busy restaurant, "Thank you. I'd like to come here again sometime with you."

Itachi turned and offered her his elbow. Absentmindedly she laced her arm through his, and once again silence stretched in the space between the couple.

Sakura turned to look up at Itachi when he suddenly announced, "I was informed last night upon my return that the trials for Hokage will be taking place soon. I was not given a date yet, but I am certain that I will know within the week."

The thoughts churning in her head came to a grinding halt at that announcement. He had just informed her that day, that it would be better for her to stay out of it, and now he was deciding to tell her about it. She frowned, "I'm sorry, but really I know so little about shinobi, that I'm not sure how to take that. Is that a warning or an announcement?"

"Possibly a little bit of both. I'm still unaware of what will be taking place. This is not typically how a Hokage is chosen. Traditionally, the current Hokage chooses a successor, and trains that candidate for the job before stepping down. I believe that the Hokage has already chosen, but this is merely a contrived act to satiate the greedy clan leaders who desire more opportunity for power. It is best to maintain the peace at all costs, especially when we are still integrating the clans and civilians together."

Sakura glanced around, a bit startled that Itachi would talk about this so openly all of a sudden. It was then she noticed that they were already half way up the hill, and no one was around hear their conversation. She realized just then, how lost in her own thoughts she'd been. She thought about his explanation and then she understood, "That's why you wanted to avoid it completely. It was your way of telling the Hokage no indirectly."

"Yes. It does not matter. I do not believe I am the one."

At that stark statement, Sakura drew back and stopped. "Wait? So why were you getting upset at me asking about earlier today?"

"I do not like the idea of you meddling and getting in the middle of something you do not understand. I realized that if I didn't tell you of my suspicions, you might decide to get involved."

"Oh what made you come to that conclusion?" Sakura huffed back at him, a bit miffed at his highhanded manner.

"Our conversation over dinner."

"Oh," She supposed she could see how he'd come to that idea after her revealing some of her feelings on her own past. She had made it rather obvious that it was hard for her to let things go. Swallowing around sudden nervousness, she sighed and then added, "Thank you for trusting me at least enough to tell me that much."

He glanced back at her, the black depths of his eyes revealing nothing of what he was feeling to her. He delivered a stiff nod, before turning back towards the shrine.

Sakura stopped as a summer breeze flit by, sending the ponytails at the sides of her face dancing lightly. In the small gust, she heard the usual whispers, but she almost thought she could her the soft sound of tinkling bells mingling with the breeze.

Suddenly Sakura felt the urge to sing the rhyme she'd sang countless times in the mornings, with Hana sitting on the railing. When she shut her eyes, she could see it clearly in her mind. The evening winds danced, and she began in a soft voice, that was almost a whisper, "Oh tanuki, Shukaku, lord of the wind. Good fortune blows in with the breath of Zephyr. The night has gone Nekomata, and the silver eye of the moon, whom watches over the souls of the living rests in slumber. Oh Isonade, the fisherman prays for your rain, drawing their catch to the surface of your blue waters."

Itachi halted and turned to face her, his eyes guarded by her sudden change in demeanor.

She smiled back at him, and finished out the song with the last verse, "Sokou, may your hibernation be peaceful, and the voices of the living – wake you not. Houkou, all the elements bow to your wisdom. Raiju, I hear the distant thunder, your voice a brilliant white light over the darkened lands. Kaku, lord of the earth, spring blossoms may the farmers pray your blessings upon the harvests. Yamata no Orochi, the spirits of evil tremble at the mention of your name, but you are part of the balance that must be kept. Kyuubi, king of the Bijuu, your fiery inferno lays waste to the legions of your enemies."

Even after she mouthed the end of the song, she continued to hum while she lengthened her steps to catch up to Itachi's long strides, falling into line beside him. She knew he probably thought her to be rather odd, but with the emotional highs and lows of the day, the old rhyme was strangely comforting to her. In it, she could forget her worries. It wasn't the lyrics, really, it was the familiarity that pushed some of her uneasiness away.

Sakura told him as they arrived at the old wrought iron gate, "I know that really – there's nothing I can do about the whole Hokage err... issue, but I'm certain that no matter what happens, you'll be able to handle it all just fine."

Itachi stiffened slightly at the sudden spoken confidence in him. It was a first. He wondered absently where that had come from. He glanced down at his wife, who was gazing back up at him with her almost too large, luminous green eyes. He noticed that the lines around her eyes had softened and the pinched look she had over dinner had smoothed away. She looked relaxed and the words themselves had sounded completely sincere. In between the lines, he could hear her acceptance of him.

It wasn't something he'd expected from her so soon. He couldn't think of anything he'd done for her to feel that way. It made him suspicious of her intentions, but there were no shadows in her eyes. Just a hopeful light. He clenched his fist, the short clipped nails digging almost painfully into his palm.

"Why?"

The terse timbre of the question made her frown. She asked softly, confused by the tight query, "Why what?"

"I've done nothing to earn your trust." He didn't believe that such a thing should come so easily.

"Sometimes a person just has to go on faith – but," Sakura shook her head, "That's not true. You have."

"You do not know me."

Sakura's eyes narrowed on his face, "Nor do you really know me." She spread her arms wide at him, "But does that mean I'm supposed to wait for a certain moment to tell you about the way that I feel about you?"

She covered her mouth with a trembling hand when that last bit slipped past her lips. She chalked her sudden lapse to getting caught up in her emotions all day. She backed up a step when Itachi suddenly straightened, his visage growing sterner than she'd ever seen it. He stalked towards her, with a panther like grace that was typical of him. It took all she had not to tuck tail and run away from him. Mentally she was kicking herself for not guarding her tongue better. What was it about him that made her forget about all the discipline she'd acquired over the years as a professional recluse?

Sakura couldn't help the gasp that escaped her when he stopped to tower over her. She wondered at his sudden intimidation tactics. She snapped at him, feeling cornered by his proximity and not liking it, "I may have very little experience with dates but honestly, I don't think that – that..." She swallowed around the nervous lump in her throat when he stepped even closer yet. She couldn't quite understand his sudden intensity. Normally, he was a rather stoic individual who reacted little to anything. Even back when she used to insult him on a regular basis, he hadn't ever reacted like this.

At the continued silence, Sakura's nervousness grew by leaps and bounds. She wondered if this was how he got enemies to spill their guts on his so called missions. If it wasn't, she didn't even want to know the tactics he used. She decided if he wasn't going to talk, she would, "I – I..." She crossed her arms protectively against her chest as to ward off the piercing stare he continued to subjugate her under, "I didn't think I would but – I missed you while you were gone." Sakura offered him a small smile, "I know that I told you that should you decide to tread in darkness, I would do my best to cast light on that path. In that alone, I've given myself a high bar to try and reach should the occasion ever arise that I need to step up and keep that promise. I also understand that I don't really know you. I also get that there are things you've probably done that I could never hope to fathom even in my wildest imaginings. The truth is, I'm not someone who will ever understand shinobi and the things they do. Not because I don't want to, but simply rather, I wasn't born into that life like you were. I'm not going to judge you for things I couldn't truly ever conceive. However," she cleared her throat, "I want you to understand, that even though I have not lived the harsh life that unarguably a nin probably has – I know what it's like to lose everything that matters to me in a moment."

Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes when he still didn't respond. She hated that she was crying in front of him again, but she knew that she would finish what she had to say to him, and he could do with it whatever he will, "And it's really hard for me to place trust in anyone. I wouldn't lower myself to say all this, just because it may sound nice. You may not really know me, but I should think that you'd been around me long enough to know that I don't make nice with people just because it may be the right thing to say... I find it hard as it is to admit this to you. Hell – I still remember the way you proposed to me. You warned me in your own way, about you not being a nice man. Well here I am, the puzzle box that intrigued you from the very beginning. I hope that opening up like this isn't going to end up boring you."

Sakura finally turned away from him, and wiping the moisture from her eyes with the back of her arm. She was proud of the fact that at least no tears had escaped.

Her back straightened when Itachi's tenor broke the sudden quietness between them, "The more you open up to me, the less I understand you." The way he admitted that might have made her laugh if she wasn't feeling so wound up emotionally.

Slowly she turned to face him again, a small smile tugging on her lips. Sakura felt slightly relieved that he had backed away to give her some room.

"I know that you are not one to give trust to anyone lightly. I just do not understand why you would choose to have faith in me – after what has passed between us. It was not all that long ago, that I held you here by kunai point. I still can't figure out why you accepted my proposal even after all this time. You had nothing to gain."

Sakura shook her head, "No, no that's not true at all." She lifted her chin in a stubborn angle he recognized all too well, "That's where you are wrong Uchiha. I_ gained _having someone in my life. I know that may sound odd to someone who comes from such a large family but really – it was ten years Itachi," she lifted her hands and splayed her fingers for him to see much like a child would, "Since I've had anyone at all in my life. I know I've always had Hana, but it wasn't until recently that I became aware that she could talk or even understand me. I'm sorry. I don't know if it seems like I'm going too fast, or too slow, but really I don't know how I'm supposed to behave or feel in a situation like this. I don't want you to feel like I'm rushing you to feel things you don't. I'm not trying to do something like that at all. I can't help that I like having you around. It was you who made me realize how lonely I actually was. For everything I did before you nin invaded my damn village, it was all really a hollow effort when I think back on it now. I was able to keep everyone out, but because I did such a good job of that, all I really accomplished was simply – existence... I didn't live.."

Her breath left her in a whoosh when he suddenly encased her in his arms. When his lips slanted over hers, her heart rate picked up and she kissed him back whole heartedly. She reveled in everything about him. The texture of his skin, his warmth, and even the gentleness in his touch.

His tongue touched the seam of her lips in askance, and instinctively she opened up to him. Her eyes shot open when the warm appendage touched the inside of her mouth. At first she found the sensation a little odd, but when warmth began to permeate through her limbs, she melted on the inside.

When he placed his hands on her hips, and pulled her flush against him. She blushed from head to toe. He drew back, and Sakura trained her eyes downwards. She wasn't quite certain how to react after being kissed so thoroughly by her husband.

The grating sound of the gate opening drew her gaze upwards again. She followed him into the yard, and shut the iron entry behind her with a firm click. She stepped up onto the porch and waited patiently as he stepped into their home. She glanced back out over the front of the yard noticing that the fireflies were beginning to come out, and dusk was falling. A small smile touched her lips and finally she stepped into the small house.

Sakura barely had any time to react when Itachi's arm snaked around her waist to pull her forward. He closed the door behind her, and she suddenly found herself pressed tightly against the wooden frame. She had no time to protest before he was devouring her lips with his own. His fingers wove themselves into her hair and she placed her hands against his chest, digits curling into the material of his shirt.

When he released her, he ran his thumb over the soft rosy petal of her bottom lip.

He suddenly admitted in a husky voice, "My reasons for agreeing to marriage were not completely honorable."

The corner of her lip hooked up into a half smile. She replied hoarsely, "I know – you warned me in your own way, even then." Sakura pressed her fingertips flat against his chest, and pushed gently.

Itachi backed away to give her some room. Sakura took that moment to straighten and she moved away from the door. She walked around him while asking trying to suppress the blush staining her cheeks, "Would you like some tea?"

"Aa."

Sakura nodded before stepping into the small kitchen. Grabbing the kettle, she filled it with water and set it on the stove to boil. A small gasp left her when she felt Itachi's warm chest press into her back, as he reached over her head to take down the two plain, blue mugs.

Craning her neck in an awkward angle to look up at him, she smirked trying to hide her embarrassment from his all too penetrating gaze. "Sorry Itachi. Your tea sucks, therefore you aren't allowed to help."

She couldn't help the small laugh that bubbled out when he merely gave her a sour look in response. Biting her lip, she turned to face him, surprising him with her sudden boldness. He took a quick step back.

Sakura poked him in the chest, "So where do you hide it?"

His eyes reflected his confusion, before becoming guarded, "Hide what?"

"Your sense of humor. There are times I see glimpses of it, but it's not very often." Her grin widened, but this time she held back the mirth wanting to spill out at his expense. She had never met someone who took himself so seriously.

"You take much pleasure in behaving in a silly manner."

"That's because," She put a finger to her lip in thoughtful repose, before delivering a playful wink which caused him to blink thrice rapidly right back at her, "It's fun."

Before he could respond the steam whistle blew, and she turned abruptly to turn off the burner. The crescendo of the piercing sound faded. Taking up a red checkered pot holder she wrapped it around the wooden handle of the kettle, before pouring the steaming liquid into the mugs. Itachi handed her the box with the packets of tea in it, and she thanked him before setting a sachet into each mug. The nin reached around her, his arm brushing hers, startling her with the sudden contact. Her face grew hot, and she gave herself a mental slap as she picked up her own, after grabbing a bottle of honey to take to the table and two silver spoons.

They settled across from each other from the low sitting table, and she watched fixated as the tea's hue bled into the steaming liquid.

In silence, they flavored their tea with honey before sipping at the hot beverage.

"Oh you're both back," Hana's voice suddenly broke the quiet.

Sakura glanced back and she noticed that the black feline was sitting perched on the dining room sill, next to the open window. She frowned, she didn't remember leaving it open. She reminded herself that Hana would have no problem moving as she pleased.

Itachi's onyx orbs lifted, following the path of Sakura's suddenly intense gaze. He made note that her cat was sitting on the windowsill behind him, and for some reason that made him a little nervous. He still knew too little about the enigmatic creature as it was. He shifted slightly, so he could keep the animal in his peripheral vision.

"Hey Hana, where have you been?"

The cat rolled her eyes before responding tartly, "I've been out and about. You haven't forgotten about the warning the Guardian's gave you have you?"

Sakura sighed and shook her head, frowning at the strange tone in Hana's voice, "Of course not. Did you find out anything relevant?"

Itachi listened to the conversation and he found himself getting annoyed at the fact that he couldn't understand Hana. He frowned.

Hana shook her head in the negative.

"What are you discussing?" Itachi couldn't contain his aggravation at not being able to pick up on the subject of the conversation at all. He could tell that it was something fairly important, by the way Sakura's eyes had narrowed, and the skin above the bridge of her nose wrinkled slightly.

She looked up startled, by the tense sound that was in the sharply given query that was more like a command than anything else. Pushing down the feeling of annoyance at being interrupted she explained, "We are discussing the matter concerning the Guardian's."

"Hn."

Focusing back on the feline, she noticed that Hana had already jumped down, and the window had been shut.

"I could detect nothing abnormal. It concerns me that I do not know where the threat lies, but I'm certain that we will find out sooner than we will probably be prepared for. I probably should accelerate your lessons." Hana strode past Itachi and sat on her haunches next to Sakura, her golden eyes on the shaman's face.

"I agree."

"We'll discuss it further in the morning. I'm exhausted." Hana rose to her feet, and padded towards Sakura's room.

Sakura propped her chin on her hand and set her elbow on the table to gaze across the table at her husband. She said by way of explanation, "I apparently need more training. I guess until I resolve this issue, I suppose I'll have to keep myself focused on that, and worry about Naruto's suggestion of getting out of doing something with myself while you're away."

Itachi opened his mouth to respond to her, but clamped his mouth shut when he noticed the way Sakura suddenly stiffened.

Sakura felt a frisson of familiarity dance across her senses, and she turned her eyes towards the door. She murmured when she realized that the chakra signature was coming towards their home, "Someone's coming."

Immediately Itachi stood his feet, knowing that even an entire day off from duty was too much to ask when one was in ANBU when he recognized the owner of that particular chakra signature.

He strode forward with long gaited strides, opening the door before the visitor could knock.

"Well, well – sharp as ever Uchiha-sama," A cheerful voice that Sakura recognized greeted her husband first.

"Hatake," Itachi was abrupt, he inclined his head slightly.

"Eh if you need to talk about ninja stuff, take it outside," Sakura bit out, before turning back around to wrap her hands around the mug of her now lukewarm tea.

"Yare yare, we better do as she says," Kakashi hadn't forgotten that this was the woman who had pie-faced him on her wedding day.

She waited for the sound of the door to click and her shoulders drooped slightly. She hated the feeling that was beginning to ball up into a knot in her stomach. They were probably already assigning him another mission where he would be gone for weeks at a time. He hadn't even been home a day. She could hardly contain the vexation that her current train of thoughts provoked.

Outside Kakashi let out a sudden groan of pain that had Itachi's eyebrows winging together sharply. His face smoothed out into an emotionless mask when Kakashi grumbled, his visible eye darting back and forth warily, "Did I just get shocked?"

Immediately Itachi knew that was Sakura's doing. He wondered what Kakashi had done to deserve her ire. He almost smiled at the other male's reaction.

Inside, Sakura flexed her fingers into a fist. She couldn't believe that she'd lost control like that. Shutting her eyes, she said out loud, apologizing to the earth spirits for using them with negative emotion a second time, "Forgive me."

She was relieved when the whisper of voices that followed in the wake of her short prayer was forgiving of her actions. She knew that Hana had probably felt it, and she would be getting a sound lecture in the morning for her behavior. If it was one thing that Hana continuously tried to drill into her during their lessons was how to control her emotions when dealing with the elements.

Rising to her feet, she took both half empty mugs to the sink. Dumping the cooled contents into the sink, she quickly washed everything and was in the middle of drying the dishes when she heard the door open. She set the mugs down on the tiled counter. She didn't hear his footfalls, but she knew he had come to stand behind her.

Turning to look up at him, she expected him to lecture her for her behavior, but instead he announced, "I am going to go to bed."

"Oh – okay," her voice trailed off, "Um – Have a good night."

She noticed the suddenly piercing quality of his scrutiny and she began to fidget under the intensity of his eyes. Why was he suddenly looking at her like that? She wondered with barely concealed trepidation.

"You want to know what it was that Kakashi came to discuss with me, do you not?"

At that, she lifted her chin and bit out sharply, "Not really. You're probably going to go off on some other mission soon right? It's all the same really. It just means you're going to be gone for a long time again."

Goosebumps trailed over her skin when Itachi suddenly beckoned in a silky tone, "Come to bed with me."

Sakura backed up, her hip hitting the kitchen counter behind her. She blushed fiercely before stammering out quickly, "W-what? I – I'm not ready for.." She shook her head hard, sending her ponytails flinging.

The suggestive grin that adorned Itachi's lips made her mouth go dry. She swallowed when he cleared his throat, the signs of amusement in his eyes at her expense would have made her angry if she wasn't so flustered by the velvet quality of the simply spoken question.

"After last night – I found that I enjoyed having the company," Itachi's grin deepened into a masculine smirk when he noticed the flush in her cheeks spread to her whole face.

Sakura was about to refuse him outright, a little taken aback by his sudden teasing; but when he held out his hand to her, and his smile disappeared and the laughter in his eyes faded leaving only serious intent, she wasn't quite sure what to do.

"I-" Sakura was caught between wanting to accept the proffered hand, or staying behind the boundary line that was still in her mind, the safe zone.

She turned her face away when he reached forward and took her hand with his. She felt the tug, and her legs moved on their own accord. She was startled when she realized that he had led her to her bedroom instead of his. She peeked up at him surreptitiously through lowered lashes.

"I will be waiting for you."

Her voice cracked, green eyes wide with confusion, "Waiting for what exactly? I'm sorry, I don't understand Itachi."

"I only wish for a repeat of the night before Sakura, nothing more – nothing less."

"Y-you mean – you just want to me to sleep in the bed with you again?" Sakura was almost beginning to hate her naivety when it came to men. She was embarrassed with herself for jumping to any conclusions concerning him, but she still found it very difficult to read Itachi even at the best of times.

"Aa."

Itachi released her fingers, watching the way her green eyes deepened into a warm malachite hue while she stood there to think about what he'd said.

Finally, Sakura nodded, "All right. I'll be there once I've gotten ready for bed."

He didn't say anything, instead he pivoted on his heel and went to his room.

Sakura entered the room, noticing that Hana was fast asleep on her bed and even after she shut the sliding door, the feline didn't wake from her slumber. Hana had been serious when she said she was tired.

Sakura slowly put on her pink pajamas that had motifs of black cats all over the top and bottoms. Slipping her feet into her slippers, she went all the way out to the bathhouse to brush her teeth, and she undid her hair and combed out the long tresses.

When she finally came to stand in front of Itachi's bedroom door, she felt the tempo of her heart rate increase. Swallowing back her nervousness, she reminded herself that she was his wife, and she was only going in there to sleep.

Steeling her nerves, she gently reached forward and with shaky fingers she slid the shoji door open. Lifting her eyes, she noticed that he was leaning against the back board, of the large bed. He sat with his legs under the navy blue coverlet, and his arms were folded against his chest.

She shut the door behind her, and slowly she made her way to the bed. _His_ bed. She stiffly sat down facing away from him at first, the soft mattress beneath her dipping with her weight. Sliding under the covers, she turned to lay on her back.

Then they were doused in darkness and Sakura relaxed under the soothing veil of the night. She felt the bed shift slightly and she peered over towards his side, and the last of her tension completely ebbed away when she realized that Itachi had turned to face away from her to sleep.

No longer nervous, she asked curiously, "Am I even allowed to ask about what Kakashi came for?"

Itachi rolled over to face her. He could hear the wistfulness and concern in her hushed query. No longer able to help himself, he reached over and pulled her against him. She stiffened against him, but after the initial shock wore off she relaxed against him. He replied coolly, "You are – but I believe that is a discussion best left until morning."

"Will you be leaving again?" Sakura pressed on stubbornly, at least wanting the answer to that question.

"No."

"Great, now I feel guilty about giving him a static shock," she grumbled, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Hn. So that was your doing. I thought so," His lips curved up into a grin before he realized that he was actually smiling.

Sakura sighed. "I can't believe I just openly admitted that I did that. Even if I did go to that academy, I still don't think I'd ever make a good nin."

When there was no response, she looked up and noticed that Itachi's eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply. A bit shocked that he could fall asleep so quickly, she figured it must be a nin thing. It would make sense that with all the camping out and traveling that he did that he would have falling asleep down to a science.

Tucking herself deeper into his arms, she shut her eyes, and even though she had initially thought that it would take her forever to go to sleep, her thoughts slowed and it wasn't long until she was falling into the comforting folds of slumber herself feeling more content and safe than she had since the day she'd lost her parents.

**-o-**

**A/N: "I want to meet you." Is a phrase from Final Fantasy VII. It's not really something that I wanted to draw directly from a game, but to me personally - it carries an emotional intensity that I wished to convey between them at that point, and I could think of no other way to put it.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **First of all I'd like to thank Dancinfanz. She's been busy making youtube vids, and she's reviewed, not only one but two of my stories. She has some really great reviews on other fics. I've put the links up to them in my author's profile if anyone would care to check it out.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto ect.

**Thanks to the Betas: **Gheistwriter, Icecream Skittles Addict

**Chapter 13**

"You need _at least _another twenty minutes of meditation." Hana gazed up into her pupil's face, not bothering to disguise the irritation she felt. "Your concentration is horrible today."

"I'm sorry," Sakura ducked her head, embarrassed that Hana had noticed that she was already mentally preoccupied. She breathed in a deep drag of air before returning her focus on the feline again. "Meditation won't be necessary."

Sakura tried not to flush when Hana stared deep into her eyes for several moments before dipping her muzzle in a slow nod. "I see. Well then, since I have the honor of your undivided attention – I'll explain the lesson for today – _again_..."

She remained silent, waiting for Hana's irritation with her to abate.

Finally the black feline intoned in a slow drawl, "So far, you've learned how to connect with the spirits of the elements quickly, and you've picked up on a shaman's defensive abilities."

Sakura nodded, her eyes glued to the cat's so that Hana would see that she was paying complete attention, or at least was attempting to. She couldn't stop wondering about the contents of the message that Kakashi had delivered the night before. She didn't know a whole lot about the shinobi hierarchy yet, but she knew that Kakashi was a captain just like Itachi. It didn't help that when she woke up that morning, Itachi was already long gone.

She buried her fingertips into her bangs, anxiety twisting her features.

"Sakura..."

The shaman refocused instantly, and in doing so, mentally berated herself for her lapse of control.

"Yes?"

"If you are unable to take an active part today in your lessons then please, at least own up to it!" Hana bit out, the thin veneer of feigned patience giving way to temper.

Sakura let out a hard sigh. "Honestly, I do want to focus. I understand that all this is very important, but my mind is elsewhere."

Hana shook her head, and settled back on her haunches. The feline commented dryly, "Your bond with your mate is growing, it seems."

Sakura blushed profusely at Hana's direct observation. Even embarrassed, she wasn't about to deny it. She responded in a voice barely louder than a hoarse whisper, "Yes, I'd like to believe that."

"If it makes you feel any better, his eyes no longer follow you with the suspicion they used to."

Biting her lower lip, Sakura buried her face in her palm while chuckling softly. "Now that you mention it, I've also noticed that. I think that I also, am no longer as suspicious of him."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Sakura opened her fingers and peered out at Hana, who was returning her regard coolly.

"There's not much to discuss – I'm just concerned about something that only Itachi can give me the answer to anyway."

"Then I suppose there's nothing for it. We will have to resume your lessons at another time-" Hana shook her muzzle before standing up to walk away.

Sakura lowered her hand and watched the feline with a sinking heart. She called out, "Hana! Wait, don't go! I'm sorry – I really do want to... learn what it is that you want to teach me."

The feline glanced back at her, stopping mid stride. Golden eyes fell half mast to peer back at the woman's forlorn features. Hana smirked at Sakura, "You finally get serious." The cat sighed, "However, your mate is on his way home it seems, and I have reason to believe that the lesson would lose out."

"So when should we resume the lesson?" Sakura persisted.

"This afternoon, after lunch." Hana paused and seemed to reflect on something before finally saying, "And this time, I want you to bring your mate."

The cat left Sakura gaping, slack-jawed. Shaking her head and shutting her mouth with a firm click, she drew up her knees and buried her fingertips in her hair. And here she thought Itachi was the hardest individual to understand. The feline was just as mysterious, if not more so, than her husband in many ways.

Itachi found his wife sitting on the stone dais on the top of the hill, in what she called her full shaman regalia, with her face buried against her knees.

He cleared his throat to gain her attention, but she still didn't look up at him.

Sakura finally gazed up at him, her eyes accusing. "You left before telling me what Kakashi came for. It's all your fault."

Confused, the shinobi crouched next to Sakura, peering sideways at her. "What's my fault?"

"I couldn't focus on today's lesson. I think Hana is a bit mad at me." Sakura lifted her chin and shook her head, "But I guess there's no use in crying over spilled milk, is there?"

"I apologize for leaving without explaining what Kakashi had come for last night," Itachi unbent at the knees to stand, "I had to meet the Hokage this morning before sunrise. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't wish to wake you for such a simple matter."

Sakura rose to her feet, and asked coolly, "Is that all Kakashi came for? To deliver a simple message? I may not know much about shinobi Itachi, but I'm not an idiot. Isn't Kakashi the same rank as you are?" She folded her arms tightly against her chest, "I am not going to believe that a captain is someone the Hokage would send out on a little petty errand."

She swallowed nervously when the lines around the corners of Itachi's eyes deepened, and his face contorted into the apathetic mask she hated so much. In her heart she knew it was anything but simple, not in the slightest; but she was still an outsider, despite being married to him. Just as the shinobi were to her, she thought dismally. She unlaced her arms and lifted her palms in surrender, "I get it. You don't have to say it. It's not my business." She glanced up at the blue sky, and then back at Itachi, "I know it's already late morning, but would you mind an early lunch?"

Sakura noticed the way the tension in his shoulders relaxed. He nodded, "Aa."

Brushing the particles of dirt off the tan skirt, she straightened, and smiled. She noticed that he was still dressed in his ANBU uniform, minus the bed sheet, sword, and animal mask. Even without those elements, she had to admit that it gave him an intimidating air.

Her smile broadened to hide her trepidation, "Welcome home. I'm sorry for the late greeting."

Itachi saw right through her attempt to hide her emotions from him. He frowned, but didn't deign to say anything about it.

Sakura started down the hill ahead of him. She almost dreaded the fact that Hana wanted him to be present for her next lesson.

The summer breeze picked up, and she glanced over her shoulder to look back at him. She frowned when she realized he wasn't trailing along behind her. Turning around again, she rolled her eyes heavenward when she found him standing at the bottom of the hill, waiting for her.

Smirking at him, she quipped wryly, "You're such a show off."

He only smiled slightly in response. He strode towards the house not bothering to wait for her. Shaking her head, she continued down the path and into the small shrine. Glancing at the dusty porch as she went by, she made a mental note to sweep it later.

Once inside, she noticed that his bedroom door was shut, and she figured he must have wanted to go ahead and get dressed into his regular clothes. A small smile ticked at the corner of her mouth, when she realized that probably meant that he more than likely didn't have to leave again that day.

Washing her hands thoroughly in the kitchen sink, she pulled out a couple plates, and grabbed the prepackaged bread off the top of the fridge. She laid out the slices flat on the brown porcelain surfaces of the dinnerware. Taking out some condiments, sliced meat, and cheese out of the refrigerator, she made a couple sandwiches for the both of them. By the time she got to the table, Itachi was already sitting in his usual spot. Hana's comment about Itachi's gaze following her without suspicion anymore came back to her. The bridge of her nose flushed pink when she noticed that his eyes did indeed follow her.

Clearing her throat, she set his plate down in front of him, and placed hers across from him. She returned to the kitchen to grab some bottled fruit juice. When she returned, she noticed that her plate had moved, so that she'd be sitting next to him instead of across the table from him. Frowning thoughtfully, she sat down without making a comment on it. She handed him the beverage, behaving as if she hadn't noticed the sudden change in her seating arrangements.

She ate her lunch in small, slow bites. When she made it half way through her sandwich, she decided to broach the subject of her lesson again. She cleared her throat, and was a bit unsettled by how quickly his eyes darted in her direction. Sakura met his gaze head on, "Today I was unable to focus completely on my lessons with Hana. She decided that we could continue once again after lunch."

Sakura could see the confusion that lit up his eyes, and the suspicion that followed. This was the first time ever since they had sat down with Hana, and he'd finally gotten the answers he'd been after they had the sitdown discussion with the cat. She knew that she could do nothing to alleviate his distrust of her motives. As it was, she had no idea why Hana would suddenly want Itachi to witness something that was usually so private. It made her uneasy to the point that she didn't even want to give him the invitation.

She knew he could sense her disquiet, if his expression was anything to go by. Sakura realized that drawing it out any longer would do nothing other than cause more unnecessary problems. She continued with more calm than she felt, "Hana and I both would like you to join us for my next lesson after lunch, if you can make it."

To say that her words shocked him was an understatement. Sakura had the feeling that Itachi wasn't used to being blindsided by anything. The way he refocused intently on her after taking in that bit of information made her want to shrink inside herself. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, it was that she hated the idea that the little bit of progress they might have made would be lost by this.

Looking down at her half-eaten sandwich, Sakura stomach rebelled at the idea of finishing her food. She took up her plate, and glanced at the shuttered expression on Itachi's face and her heart twisted in the confines of her ribcage.

Sakura murmured hoarsely, the timbre of her voice cracking, "We'll be at the top of the hill..." When he didn't look up at her, she added softly, "I'll be waiting."

Dumping the contents of her plate into the trash, she finished off the rest of her juice and set the empty bottle on the counter. She put the dish in the sink, and rinsed off the plate. Drying her hands, she turned to go back outside. Sakura strode past Itachi who was still sitting silently at the table.

By the time she had crested the hill, she already knew that her focus level would be even worse than what it was earlier that morning. She contemplated just telling Hana that it would be better if they did all this another day.

When she stepped onto the stone dais, she noticed that the cat was nowhere to be found. She glanced past the pillars, and into the shrubbery in an attempt to locate the feline. She lifted her hand to grasp the pendant of her mother's necklace through her tunic, feeling more nervous than she'd like to ever verbally admit.

Sakura stiffened when she felt her husband's chakra signature approaching from behind her. She turned and as soon as she did so, his form flickered in front of her. Her lips tugged into a frown, when she met his stern eyes. She was about to speak when Hana suddenly emerged from tall grass. The feline stepped onto the platform, drawing both humans attention on her.

Hana sat in the middle of the dais before ordering Sakura, "I would like you to have your mate take down the ribbon you've given him. There is something that I wish to say to him."

Sakura nodded, and then glanced at her husband to repeat the cat's words. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized that he was already reaching up to do just that. When Itachi held out the silken green material towards her, she almost didn't want to place her fingertips so close to his skin. At her momentary hesitance, Itachi gripped the ribbon and turned his palm to the side to let it dangle freely.

Blushing Sakura quickly snatched the other end to hold it.

When she turned to look at him again, his eyes were already on the feline.

"I see that you are quicker on the uptake_ boy_, than I'd first given you credit for," Hana started off dryly.

Itachi was point blank with the cat, "You wish to speak with me."

Hana nodded in response. "Yes. You see, as with all things – there is a time for everything." She lifted her chin, and stared up into the blue skies for a few moments before continuing on, "I believe it's time that you come to completely understand your mate for she what she truly is."

The ANBU Captain remained silent.

Sakura shook her head, "I really don't think that's necessary, Hana. It's not really been all that long since we've been married. Too much, too fast isn't really a good thing."

Hana sighed, and refocused on the flustered woman, "I understand that it may seem that such a thing is moving too quickly for comfort, but I suspect that, knowing you as well as I do, you've already come to accept what and who he is."

Sakura looked away, red stained her cheeks with embarrassment when she felt her husband's eyes zero in on her. She let out a sigh of her own, before slightly dipping her chin in agreement.

"I still do not know what shadow comes." The feline shook her head slowly. Sakura thought that Hana looked more weary than anything else and it made her wonder what weighed on the cat's mind. The feline's voice drew her back to the present, "You both may believe that such a thing is ridiculous but, whether true or false, there is one thing I am certain about."

Obsidian orbs narrowed on the cat, when he Itachi noticed that Hana was looking up into the sky again. It was almost as if she could see something that the human eye could not. Her strange words and behavior were starting to make him feel a bit edgy.

"I firmly believe that it is time that you become aware of exactly what Sakura is. I know that I explained the most pressing things to you the first time we spoke, however I have the feeling that you still do not yet quite understand her."

Itachi was a bit taken aback by the cat's forthright and astute statement. Ever since his wife had opened up emotionally to him, he still couldn't step past his doubts. That didn't mean he was ready to take the wild leap to trust anything that came out of the mysterious cat's mouth either. He also wasn't quite certain how the feline expected to complete such an endeavor anyway. He had once accused Sakura being a loose end, with no true ties; however, the cat was truly the one who was the most mysterious of all.

Sakura's gaze bounced back and forth between Hana and Itachi. She knew that particular look in the cat's eyes and she also was well acquainted with that brooding quality of Itachi's. She inwardly wilted. What was Hana thinking? She couldn't even begin to imagine what was going on in her husband's mind at this point in the conversation. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"Enough talk. It is time to go," Hana turned away from both humans. The cat began to stride towards the back end of the shrine property.

Sakura was taken off guard when the ribbon in her hand started to pull. She glanced sideways at Itachi. He was already beginning to move forward, while still holding fast to the green material that they both held. With a sigh, Sakura fell into step beside him, to follow the cat.

She tilted her head to the side slightly when she felt the wind around them beginning to pick up. Sakura glanced to the side, and even though Itachi's expression gave nothing away, he was starting to tense up again. She bit her lip hesitant at first, but then getting past her fear of being pushed away, she turned towards him and laid a comforting hand over the bicep of his arm.

Itachi glanced at her, his visage shuttered and closed off. Sakura offered him a small smile, but then turned her attention back to Hana when she began to speak again, "I want you to understand that this is not something that is shared with outsiders."

Itachi's adam's apple bobbed. "Then why are you telling me this? I am not someone who has earned the sort of trust that you are supposedly giving to me."

Hana turned and sat down on her haunches. "Because it is necessary," the feline replied mysteriously, but then went on to explain before either humans could interject, "Before we go, I want you to understand that you will be walking between planes. I know this concept is probably a very foreign idea to you, but – the elemental spirits do not exist the same way humans do."

Itachi thought about the fire spirit that showed itself during the sparring session with his younger brother's team. He nodded to show he understood.

Sakura's fingers tightened over the ribbon. She was nervous at the idea of Itachi seeing something that was usually so private to her. She wasn't sure she wanted to share all this with him. She cleared her throat, drawing the attention of her husband and teacher, "I'm still not sure if this is really a good idea..."

"I want you to- no, I need you to trust me, Sakura," Hana responded in a soft voice.

Sakura looked away, unable to look directly into Hana's eyes. She chewed on her lower lip nervously, "I want to, but –" she glanced at Itachi surreptitiously through pink eyelashes, "I don't understand why..." She couldn't quite put her feelings into words, and finally she remained silent and looked away.

Itachi's eyes widened slightly when the air him began to pick up in speed, swirling around him. What unnerved him the most about it was that the wind itself was flowing every which way. There was no true direction in which it moved. It just flowed around him, like water ebbing against a stone. He activated his sharingan but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Goosebumps tickled up the length of his arms when he started to hear voices coming from the wind itself. He immediately recalled the time he and his father had tried to force Sakura's obedience.

Sakura met Hana's warm amber eyes when the feline ordered her gently, "Hold his hand Sakura, it is time."

The shaman swallowed hard, her face growing pink. She hesitated for a moment, but before she could find her resolve, Itachi's hand closed over her own. She blushed when his fingers laced through hers, the ribbon held between them intertwining through the warm digits.

"Walk."

The couple glanced at each other, doubt shining back at one another with varying degrees. Sakura knew that this was asking a lot of Itachi and yet she also understood that it was not something that was easy for her either. He didn't step forward until the cat stepped off the side of the rocky crest of the hill. The black cat disappeared from sight, and it was then that they both strode forward together.

She felt Itachi's grip tighten when they stepped out into the beyond. Sakura was humbled by the fact that he would even trust her enough to do this. Even when her own doubts were so visibly displayed on her features for him to see.

A gasp caught in her throat when the normal view of the forests outside of Konoha melted away, and vivid imagery and color took its place. Large majestic oaks dotted the emerald green landscape that appeared before them. The periwinkle sky above them was dotted with silvery stars, and the moon was so large and seemed so close that she almost felt like she could reach up and touch it.

Behind her the sun was dim, almost as if it were just beginning to set. It was like this place, wherever it was, was caught perfectly between day and night.

She glanced to the side, and noticed that the stoic mask Itachi typically wore was gone, and he too was studying his surroundings.

Sakura's eyes widened when colorful strands of chakra wisps came to greet them. She felt Itachi tense at her side. She smiled at him then, while reaching out towards a yellow tendril coming towards her, "It's alright. They won't attack you."

He arched a brow at her, and she merely returned the gesture with an even larger grin. She felt the wisp lightly touch her before trailing away to join the others like it.

"See?"

"Aa," Itachi intoned softly.

Sakura could almost swear she could see the cogs already churning in that over active analytical brain of his.

"Alright you two, this isn't a vacation," Hana's voice pulled their attention towards her once again. The cat strode back to them, and sat on her haunches. Her ears flattened against her skull giving away her irritation. "This is another lesson for you Sakura, try to be serious. Or you could at least pretend to be."

Sakura sobered instantly, "I'm sorry. It's just – I haven't been here before," she paused and spun around, while trying not to let go of the ribbon all at once, "It's so beautiful here."

Hana's whiskers twitched but then the heated expression in the cat's amber eyes cooled. She shook her head before turning to ask Itachi, "Has Sakura ever told you what her family crest means?"

Itachi frowned at the cat, and after a moment he nodded, "Yes."

"The eternal circle of life," Sakura murmured.

Hana nodded before pinning Itachi with a sharp, thoughtful look, "Indeed that's basically what it is, but do you really understand what that means, boy?"

Sakura tried not to laugh when Itachi started to openly glare at the cat. She knew that he didn't like the condescending way the feline talked to him. She was already getting used to the fact that Hana treated her like a child even though she herself was a grown adult. She had no idea how old Hana really was, but she somehow had the feeling that even an elderly person would still be a kid in Hana's eyes. She knew that the cat had been around since before her grandparents' time and there were times that by of the things the feline talked about, she knew that Hana had been around at least since the time of the first war.

When the laughter she tried holding back escaped her, she found herself being subjected to a dark look.

The feline watched the banter between the two and sighed, "Well anyway – let's keep going. We have a ways to go. I'll explain as we walk."

Finally their small procession continued and the feline started to talk about the things Sakura had already learned from the cat, "As you can already see for yourself – this world exists in layers. The realm of life, where you come from – is tied to all things. The Guardians exist above all. They are protected by the Bijuu who are in turn supported by the many elemental lords that live in this place you walk through at this very moment. None of us can survive without the other. It is a precarious balance that must always be protected. That is where the shamans come in."

Sakura was a bit surprised that the cat was even revealing such private matters to Itachi. She frowned, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

Hana directed the next comment to her, "I know that you've been taught to keep all of this knowledge to yourself Sakura, but – it's a truth that everyone should be aware of. After all, we are all a part of the balance."

The silence lengthened between them as they continued forward down the path Hana took them on.

Sakura reached out to touch the bark of a massive oak, and was a bit surprised to find that it felt real. She pulled her arm back, and she looked into the distance. She squinted when she realized that she could make out the tall, long pillars that stood like silent sentinels.

As they approached, she craned her neck back to peer up at the massive white obelisks. Her eyes widened when she noticed that the pillars were shaped similarly to the ones back on the dais at the shrine.

Some of the grooves and rune carvings were identical, while there were just as many others that she hadn't seen before. The only difference was that, instead of a large stone platform, these stood in a circle of pristine water so clear, that one could see the sun and moon's reflection gleaming vividly back up at them.

At the water's edge, Hana stopped and glanced back at Sakura. "This is where you go on alone."

Sakura inclined her head, doing her best to hide the nervousness she was beginning to feel. Stepping out into the pool of water, she released Itachi's hand and went to let go of the ribbon. A gasp left her, when the green silk, moved as if it had a mind of its own. It wrapped itself around her wrist. She moved to tug it off, but Hana said, "It's alright, I'm just making sure that you maintain your connection with your mate, so that I can continue to speak with him."

A frown tugged at the corner of Sakura's lips. She hesitated but then finally nodded, before stepping out into the shallow waters. With each step she took, the ribbon lengthened, keeping the bond intact, just as Hana said it would. She moved to the center of the waters and stopped. Looking around, glancing at each pillar first. Even though she felt a bit uncertain, she lifted her arms. The bells on her wrists tinkled, and in the breath of a moment the staff was already forming in her free hand.

Itachi watched the proceedings with a calculating air. When great beings began to take form on all sides of Sakura, he started to activate his sharingan but Hana's voice stopped him, "Don't. This is not a place where malicious chakra should ever be. Just watch. No harm will come to either of you."

The shinobi glanced at the feline, a bit shocked that the cat had not only sensed his intentions, but had also spoke up quickly enough to stop him.

In the center of the calm waters, the shaman heard the whispers beginning to swell around her, speaking only to her, pulling her into a warm embrace she knew all too well. She went slack jawed when suddenly great elemental beasts formed on all sides of her. A large mass of orange and red flames stared back at her with searing crimson eyes. Whirling winds churned into a miniature tornado, forming another being.

Pillars of rock and earth came to stand before her, the ground beneath it shaking with each step it took. On her right, water formed into a feminine shape, a woman-like being in a gown of liquid azure and a waterfall cowl covering her features.

"You have finally come to pay your respects to us, Innocent One. We have been waiting for you to come for a long time," the feminine tone from the water spirit pulled her attention to it.

Immediately, Sakura knelt respectfully before them all, laying her staff across the bridge of her knees, uncaring of the fact that she was sitting in water.

On the embankment, Itachi's brows shot up. The inky hued arches nearly disappeared into his hairline when he heard the kind, musical voice that was speaking to his wife. He was completely unable to form a coherent thought the moment he realized that he could understand what was being said.

"Know your fortune, shinobi; without the gift she gave you, you would never have been able to witness something that most mortal eyes have neither seen nor heard. Not even those who followed the path of the shrine warrior were able to step foot in this realm, nor were they afforded the chance to do as you are now. You are the first."

"So this is what you wanted me to see." It was a statement, not a question.

"She stands between us all. It is good that you come to understand her."

"Why are you telling me this?" Itachi's eyes moved back to his wife, who was still deep in conversation with the elemental lords.

"You need to ask? Is this something that you feel that you do not need to know?" Hana threw his query right back at him, "If that is the case, then I apologize for wasting your time."

Itachi shook his head, "I should apologize for asking such a useless question."

"I understand that it is a lot to take in such a short amount of time." The feline nodded, understanding warming her golden eyes.

"Aa."

Sakura turned to look back at her husband, a smile touching her lips. She gestured towards him, shocking not only him, but Hana as well in the process, "Come over here Itachi. I want to introduce you."

He hesitated, but Hana told him coolly, "Go on, boy. They must have agreed to it, and you shouldn't turn down an invitation from them."

Sakura quickly noticed that Itachi was hesitating, and so she rose to her feet to go out and pull him over. The ribbon shortened as she strode towards him. Before he could protest she grabbed his wrist and tugged him along with her.

"This is my chosen mate," Sakura introduced him cheerfully with a touch of pride in her voice, "Itachi Uchiha."

Itachi found himself struck speechless by the situation. He was fortunate that Sasuke wasn't able to see him in such an unusual state. He silently blamed his wife, but didn't dare to voice his thoughts out loud.

The Lady of Water chuckled at the human male's dumbstruck expression. She was the first to introduce herself. Her voice was soothing, soft like the trickling of water gurgling through a stream, "It is, shall I say, very interesting to meet you human. I am Aqueous, this region's water lord."

He did the only thing he could think to do. He inclined his head politely.

Earth introduced himself next, his words loud and booming and coarse like gravel. "I am the Lord of the Vale."

Fire flickered forward slightly. Itachi could feel the heat starting to warm him up to the point of discomfort, but he held his ground next to Sakura. Fire spoke, his voice warm and welcoming, "I also find it intriguing to meet one whose existence was kissed by Kyuubi-sama. It's truly a pleasure to meet you, Uchiha. I've always known those of your family. I am Lord Magfurus. My children have always spoken highly of your clan."

Itachi recalled when Sakura told him about the fire spirit he witnessed her holding in her palm. According to her, it had served his family for a very long time. At first he had brushed her words off, not really understanding the true scope of what she'd been trying to tell him. He was never going to be able to look at Katon: Gōgakyu no Jutsu the same ever again.

Air whipped forward, his tone energetic. His next words were almost too fast to understand, "Lord Sussurus I am." The last spoken came across slow, and almost lazily, as if he didn't quite give a damn, "It is well to meet you son of the Uchiha clan."

"I am honored." Itachi's upbringing made itself known in the cultured tones of his response.

Sakura released her loose grip on his wrist and instead threaded her fingers through his. She voiced her gratitude to the elemental lords, "I thank you for your time."

Lady Aqueous chuckled softly, "Time is all we have."

Sakura thought about her words and then blushed embarrassed at her mental slip, "I suppose that's true."

The four lords turned towards Hana, and the cat lowered her head regally in their direction. In the span of an eye blink they all disappeared, and the trio was left standing alone in silence.

As the couple walked to the edge of the water, Hana asked Sakura, "So what did they say? I missed the first part of that conversation."

Sakura squeezed the hand holding the staff, and it disappeared in a puff of yellow smoke. She smiled, "They said they would help us if we need it."

"Your bond with the Guardians was accepted, then?"

"Yes," Sakura quickly responded. She looked down at her skirt, and made a face when she realized that it was soaked and sticking to her legs. In the heat of the moment, she hadn't really noticed it.

She released Itachi's hand to try and pull the material off of her legs. She frowned when it just stuck right back to her skin the moment she let go. She growled under her breath when she tried flapping the skirt again, and it was to no avail, "Argh."

Itachi couldn't help the laughter that started to spill out, when he noticed Sakura had taken to walking bow legged. His amusement was short lived. The moment he felt a sharp shock, he knew it was Sakura's doing. In retaliation he tugged on the ribbon and caused Sakura to stumble.

"Hey!" Sakura sputtered indignantly, when she regained her bearings. She looked up, only to find that he was smirking down at her.

A fiendish grin split her lips when she gave him another static shock, on his backside. When he grunted, his wide eyes giving away the fact that he was surprised by her actions, her smile grew ever wider.

In front, Hana rolled her eyes heavenward. She glanced back at the tussling couple, and could only shake her head at their antics.

Finally when they arrived at the exit, Hana announced loudly, "We're almost home."

Sakura placed her hand in Itachi's hand once again, and the trio re-entered the natural world together. The moment they were out, the ribbon entwined around Sakura's wrist unwound and Itachi was left holding it in his hand.

Yawning, Sakura stretched her arms over her head, "I'm glad that's done." She gazed thoughtfully up into the darkening sky, and was left wondering how long they had spent in the land of elements. It hadn't seemed all that long.

Itachi's tenor pulled her from her reverie, "Thank you."

"For what?" Sakura tilted her head to the side, not quite certain what he should be thanking her for.

"That was quite the experience. It won't be one I'll ever forget."

A true smile adorned her lips, "It was really all because of Hana." She glanced over to where she'd last seen the cat to thank her, but the feline was long gone. Sakura looked over at her husband, "She said she wanted you to understand. I don't know if bringing you here, could really accomplish that..." Her voice trailed away.

"I believe it accomplished what she wanted it to."

Sakura's visage softened. She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek, "I'm glad that you gave us the benefit of the doubt, and came along. I know it was asking a lot of you to do something like that."

"You've spoken about the trust you want to exist between us. I had to start somewhere."

"Speaking of trust," Sakura folded her arms, and pinned him with a look that instantly made him leery, "You've never told me what is was that Kakashi came to talk to you about."

She bristled when he smirked down at her then. He responded easily, "That is simply because I've been ordered to maintain my silence on that particular message."

"Oh really? Then why did you say we'd discuss it in the morning if you couldn't tell me about it in the first place?"

"I didn't want to alarm you."

"You were hoping I'd forget about it?" Sakura arched a brow at him.

"Something like that."

She poked him the chest with a hard finger, "Ugh you are something else. You drive me nuts with your shinobi nonsense! You know that?"

His fingers gently encircled her wrist, pulling the offending appendage away. He apologized in a low voice, "I don't mean to. If it will make you feel any better – when I am able to speak of it, you will be the first to know."

Sakura let loose an unladylike snort, "Oh don't give me that. Let me get my boots out, there's a lot of..."

She was cut off when he bent down to deliver a quick, warm kiss on her lips. Her eyes were wide by the time he released her.

She sputtered red-faced, "Why you – you. That's not playing fair."

"I _am_ a shinobi." He replied dryly.

"Oh well, you know what? Your tea sucks!" She stuck out her tongue, ignoring the way his eyes widened at her very random insult. She started to march decidedly down the hill towards the house. She was more than ready to get out of her wet clothes, and into something warm and comfortable. A hot bath in the spring water was starting to sound really, really good.

Sakura was forced to stop, when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She couldn't help the shiver that danced up her spine when Itachi whispered silkily next to her ear, "Is that a challenge?"

She choked out, trying her best not to blush, "Please let me go. I would very much like to go changed."

Instead of releasing her immediately, his hold tightened into a hug, before letting her go. She glanced over her shoulder at him, and the heat she seen directed at her in the depths of his onyx orbs, had her scampering down the last stretch of the hill and into the house. Inside her room, she stripped down and put on a pair of black loose fitting pants, and one of her green tops. She'd take a bath after dinner, she resolved.

Nervously, she peeked out into the living room, before stepping out to the kitchen to start dinner preparations.

Rummaging through the fridge, she looked at the contents within, and it struck her at how full it was now. Before, she had only kept the barest of essentials, but after she married Itachi it had all changed. It was like looking at a visual parallel of herself, she thought absently. Reaching inside, she took out the cellophane wrapped chicken, and fresh vegetables.

She threw together a quick stir fry, and was rather pleased with the results. She wasn't a great cook per se, but her efforts were passable, and the food she made was edible. She chalked it down to reading her mother's old cookbooks and religiously following them when it had been up to her to take care of herself.

When it was done, she made sure to set some aside for Hana. She set the serving for the cat inside the fridge before dishing up hers and Itachi's. Just as she was about to take it out to the table, the plates were taken from her hands.

By the time she got to the table, the plates of food and the silverware was already sitting on the table, waiting for her.

"Thanks. I think."

Settling next to him, she ate with him in amiable silence.

His next statement almost made her drop her fork, "Next week will begin the Hokage trials."

"I thought you weren't supposed to tell me about..."

"That has nothing to do with what Hatake came for," Itachi interrupted smoothly.

"Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?" The bridge of Sakura's nose scrunched. She sent him a piercing look.

"I decided it was something that you should be aware of."

Sakura picked up a pea out of her rice with her fingers, and set it on her thumb. Itachi ducked aside when she flicked it at him.

"Take that as my thanks." She remarked wryly. It was all she could do not to roll her eyes at him. He could be so damned haughty and highhanded at times, she thought privately. She added coolly, "You just decided that, huh?"

His eyes narrowed on her face, but he didn't deign to comment. He was still trying to get over the fact that his wife had chucked a pea at him.

Sakura picked up her plate to take it to the sink. Putting the leftovers aside, so that she could eat them for lunch the next day, she rinsed off her plate, and started to clean up the kitchen. She stiffened when she seen him set his plate on the counter out of the corner of her eyes. She then found herself pinned between his arms. He asked her, "Why are you upset?"

She shook her head, "I'm not really upset per se. I'm just more than a little aggravated with you at the moment."

"You –"

She put her finger over his lips to silence the next set of words that were about to come from his mouth. She sighed, "What do you want me to say Itachi? After all, it's your information to give when you want to. I also understand it's the shinobi side of you to withhold information, but still, sometimes it's hard to deal with. How long have you known?"

"I was informed after I came back from my last mission two days ago."

"Will it be something that the public is going to witness, or is it a private shinobi thing?" She decided that getting into an argument with him about it was pointless. It was just who he was. It wasn't like she hadn't done the same herself.

"It will be conducted as a private matter, but the clan leaders will be there to witness it."

"Well," she paused and bit her lower lip, "I suppose all I can do is wish you luck."

"Aa."

"So, you're going to be around to prepare for this whole ninja to-do?"

"I will be remaining in Konoha until afterward. However, the reason I'm telling you this now is because I have decided that until all this is finished, we will go stay in the Uchiha compound with my family." As he spoke he held her gaze with his.

Sakura gaped openly at him. It took several seconds for that statement to sink in. "Like hell I'm going to leave the shrine for that!" Just the thought alone made her want to chuck something at him.

"There will be times that I will have to be away from the house. I do not like the idea of leaving you unprotected. By this time, all those in the running will be aware of who will be participating. I would not put it past any of the clan councils to make attempts on rival clan participants."

"Oh, really? Well I dare anyone to try and step foot on this property," she snapped at him, not bothering to hide her anger.

"If I have to force your will, I won't hesitate to do so Sakura ."

"Are you threatening me?" Sakura hissed up into his face, "Because if you're saying what I think you're saying-"

"I am merely doing what's best for you. It will only be a week."

"I'm not leaving this shrine. I don't even want to think about what people might do while I'm away," Sakura crossed her arms tightly against her chest. Just that thought alone pissed her off.

"Everyone knows that the original residents of this village would completely lose any trust they have in the shinobi leaders if destruction happened at this shrine. It would be very stupid for any of the clans to cross that line, especially when they wouldn't want to lose what's already been gained in such a short time. The next Hokage will want the full support of the villagers."

"I find it hard to believe after what happened at the clan council meeting, your parents would want me around."

"I've already discussed it with my parents, this morning. They agree that it is the best course of action," Itachi responded coolly, "There is a room being prepared for us. It will be ready for us to move into in the morning."

He had to be kidding. She frowned up at him then, "No wonder you were acting a bit odd when you came in this morning."

His silence was more than enough answer for her.

"Well, I'm not going. So how about that?"

"If you continue to be obstinate, I will take you over there tonight," Itachi drew closer with each word, until he was nearly nose to nose with her.

A snarl curled her lip, "I'm the one being obstinate? You're ordering me to leave my own house, damnit."

"I'm not going to argue with you on this subject any longer, Sakura."

She pressed her hands against his chest and shoved him away from her, "You're being a jerk, you know that?" She glared at him, "I'm not going to argue with you on this subject any longer either. You know why? I'm. Not. Going. End of story Uchiha."

Itachi was slowly beginning to remember why he had originally planned to wait to tell her until the next morning. He knew that she was very stubborn, and wasn't the type to relent when backed into a corner. The problem was, he wasn't one to back off either.

Sakura bristled when he ended the argument with, "There is no point in discussing this tonight. It will be taken care of tomorrow."

He turned and left her standing there glaring at his back. He shut his bedroom door behind him and Sakura deflated. She buried her fingers in her hair, and she wondered how such a wonderful day had come to this. She wondered if she could talk Hana into helping her hide. Out of all the places she had to go, the Uchiha compound was the last place she wanted to be.

In hindsight, she knew what Itachi was trying to say. He was trying to protect her, after all. However, even with his seemingly good intentions, it still made her angry that he'd force his will on her like this. She knew that for all her bluster, they both understood that he could and would make her obey him in this. That didn't mean she had to like it. She threw the blue dishrag still in her hand into the sink behind her. She shook her head. Well, one thing was for certain. He was sure as hell going to sleep alone tonight.

**-o-**

**A/N:** Just an FYI for those of other countries that may not know the little saying Sakura had started to say to Itachi, "Let me go get my boots..." It's a way of saying, "Let me get my boots, there's a lot of bullshit to wade through." And there are many variations of it out there...


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **Here I am again with the next installment. Not much to say here other than to thank those who continue to read, and also to those who review. I'm sorry for the shortness chapter. Really after all this time there is no excuse, other than I've been having a bit of writer's block. However, I did want to get something out in time for you, **Callmelover. **Thanks for the nudge to see if I was still alive. **_HAPPY BIRTHDAY!_**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto, or Sakura, or Itachi or... well you get the idea.

**Chapter 14**

It was a very grumpy and irritable Sakura that arrived at the Uchiha residence that morning. Her feline companion who had been kept awake half the night due to Sakura's constant tossing and turning, was also in a sour mood herself. It didn't help that Hana had no idea why she was being dragged along in the first place. The cat sat huddled in the cage, grumbling to herself.

Sakura's fingers gripped the handles of her suitcase, and the cat carrier tightly when she noticed all of her in laws standing on the porch awaiting their arrival. Fugaku and Mikoto she could understand, but when she noticed Sasuke sitting on the steps, his chin propped on the top of his palm, nonchalance etched in the lines of his face, her brows furrowed.

She noticed the blank way that they were staring at her, and Sakura realized that she hadn't seen any of them since the meeting with the clan elders. She squared her shoulders. She hadn't felt shame of her actions then, and she didn't feel any now. She doubted that she ever would.

"Good morning. Thank you for having us," Itachi's monotone broke the frigid silence.

Mikoto's mask finally cracked into a small smile, "You have nothing to thank us for. Your father was the one who suggested it."

It was all Sakura could do, not to roll her eyes. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to the way her husband liked to leave out half the details of just about everything he decided to tell her. Must be a ninja thing, she reasoned. It really wasn't a big deal either way, but it was hard not to be suspicious of his motives sometimes, because of that peculiar little habit.

"What's with the cat?" Sasuke jerked a thumb in Hana's direction.

"What's with the chicken butt hairstyle?" Hana's retort was swift, and merciless.

Sakura eyebrow ticked, and her lip twitched. It was really too bad that no one but her could understand the feline. She arched a brow at Sasuke, "What do you mean 'what's up with the cat?' I couldn't have left her alone at the house by herself, now could I?"

"It's alright. Itachi already informed us that you would be bringing your pet. I would only ask that you keep her in your room during your stay here." Mikoto waved a dismissive hand at Sakura.

"Of course," Sakura mumbled, knowing full well that Hana could go wherever she wanted to go. It wasn't like Sakura could stop her even if she wanted to.

"Come inside, there's breakfast on the table, and we still have more to discuss," Mikoto said as she turned to open the door to the house.

Everyone filed inside. Itachi gestured for Sakura to follow him. He explained coolly, "We'll be staying in my room."

Even though Sakura would never admit such a thing out loud, she was suddenly very curious to see what Itachi's room looked like. She imagined something austere, lots of navy, and probably a clan emblem here and there. The corner of her lip threatened to turn up into a smile.

When he opened the door, Sakura was greeted with almost exactly what she imagined. She grinned. She couldn't help it. Tucked against the wall, a queen sized bed with a navy blue comforter, similar to the one at the house sat against the wall with a square oak headboard. To the right side was a dresser, the same hue as the other wooden furniture in the room.

Over the bed, was a window with matching dark blue curtains to match the comforter on the bed. To the left was a small closet with a square mirror hanging on it. There was no clan emblems in the room, she noticed thoughtfully. It seemed he didn't keep anything that had no use. There were no family pictures, or anything else for that matter. It was kind of boring to look at, Sakura thought to herself idly.

Setting the cat carrier down, she opened the cage door and watched as Hana emerged, stretching each of her limbs with each step. She sat on her haunches, and she informed Sakura briskly, "I'll make certain to keep an eye on the shrine in your place. I'll make sure to check in here every so often to see how you're doing."

"I figured as much," Sakura leaned over and slid open the window for the cat. Hana dipped her head gratefully, before leaping up into the sill and hopping down onto the gravel, only to dart into the bushes. Sakura couldn't help but wonder, what went on in that cat's mind. Hana was truly the most mysterious creature she knew.

Sakura glanced back at Itachi, who was watching her with a thoughtful expression. She could tell he wanted to ask her about what she and the cat had talked about. Well that was too damn bad for him! She tore her eyes away from his and turned to settle her suitcase next to the dresser. She cleared her throat, feeling a little awkward speaking to him since she hadn't since their argument the night before, "I guess, I'll unpack all our stuff a little later."

When she glanced back at him, she noticed the way his hard countenance softened slightly at her small attempt to be at least semi polite.

He just nodded in response.

Sakura finally looked him in the eye, and noticed the pink blotches in the whites of his eyes. He must have not slept very well last night, she mused thoughtfully. In the end of it all, Sakura had come to the conclusion that there are no real winners in an argument between spouses. She was still a little upset by his highhanded nature, and the way he had demanded she do what he wanted her to do. But in the end, she knew that it was because he was trying to protect her. After all, it wasn't like he wanted to live in the compound either.

She was so lost in her thoughts, she bumped into his back when he suddenly halted in the open doorway, just outside of the dining room.

Sakura mumbled a quick apology, red-faced.

Itachi stepped aside, to let her go first. She glanced quickly at his face, taking note of his shuttered expression. She sighed softly before looking towards the table. The rest of Itachi's family had already started to eat. Sakura went to sit down, tucking her legs beneath her. They all ate in awkward silence. When everyone was finished eating, Fugaku finally spoke to her, "I'm sure my son has already explained why you're expected to stay here for the week..."

"Yes, he did."

"Good. We want nothing to interfere with Itachi's chances. Therefore, during your stay here, you will be expected to stay within the perimeter of the Uchiha compound. Until the announcement of the next Hokage, you are not to step one foot outside the clan walls," Fugaku explained in a cool, brisk tone.

"Aye aye captain." Sakura mock saluted the older man. She was satisfied by the irritation that flashed in his eyes. He turned his face away, having nothing more to say to her. That was more than fine with her.

"You never change." Sasuke smirked across the table at the hardheaded woman. Not for the first time, he found himself relieved that he hadn't been the one chosen to be her husband. He could only imagine what Itachi went through with such bull-headed, and stubborn female on a day to day basis. He suppressed a shudder at just the mere thought of it.

Sakura let out an unladylike snort, "And apparently neither do you." She took up her plate, and headed to the kitchen to put it in the sink.

"Please relax and try to enjoy your stay here," Mikoto suddenly said from behind her. "Believe me, I do understand that you aren't pleased about being forced away from your home."

Since she was still facing away from Mikoto, Sakura finally allowed herself the indulgence of rolling her eyes. Setting the plate down in the white basin of the sink, she turned around to face Itachi's mother, "I really don't expect you to _understand._" The young woman's frown slowly morphed into a small smile, "But I do appreciate the fact, that you at least try for my sake. And you're right about one thing; it's only a week."

The grim lines pinching around Mikoto's eyes disappeared. After that, both women worked to get the table cleared away, and the dishes cleaned. Just as Sakura was washing down the surface Mikoto came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on her apron. She asked softly, "Do you make lunches?"

At Sakura confused look, Mikoto elaborated further, "For Itachi, at least on his in-city work days?"

She shook her head, "No, I don't." Sakura shrugged nonchalantly. "It's too hard to keep up with his schedule. One day he's not supposed to be on duty, but they send someone for him anyway, or he's gone for weeks at a time."

"I guess it can't be helped. You do know where Itachi goes when he's on duty in Konoha though right?"

"Uh – maybe in a tree somewhere wearing his bedsheets and animal mask," Sakura smirked at Mikoto cheekily.

Sakura watched the older woman pinch the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

Mikoto breathed out a deep sigh, shut her eyes and shook her head, "I see. So you really don't know anything about what he does when he's here, do you?"

Sakura shook her head and finally gave Mikoto an earnest answer, "He just doesn't tell me about it. I don't pry either. I don't want to. It's not that I don't care, but I'd rather he tell me something important, because he really wants to." She had niggling feeling that Itachi probably never told her, because he didn't feel that it was important for her to know. He was a, 'on a need to know basis kind' of man. She chalked it down to the fact that he was a shinobi.

A contemplative look crossed Mikoto's features. Finally she replied, "I see." She paused and then asked, "You do know that the Uchiha clan does head the military police force?"

"That I do know, because when I met the Hokage for the first time, he mentioned it."

She would never forget that day, she thought to herself sourly.

"My eldest son and his team are the ones who work between the Hokage and the Konoha Military Police Force," Mikoto explained in a kind voice.

That was something, Sakura didn't know. She frowned and the nibbled on her lower lip as she thought about it. She inquired curiously, "So what does the military police force actually do?"

"They strive to keep the peace, and the citizens safe from any outsiders that may try to bring harm. They work solely inside the city for this purpose."

"And so what you're saying is, Itachi is like the errand boy for the Hokage and his father." Sakura was actually doing her best to make sense of what Mikoto was talking about. She still knew next to nothing about shinobi and their ranking system. Or whatever the hell it was.

"Well I suppose you could put it that way," Itachi's mother frowned before adding, "But it's a position that requires a lot of responsibility."

"So what does all this have to do with lunch?" Sakura crossed her arms, perplexed by the conversation taking place.

"I thought that perhaps you might want to take him a lunch today, because he'll be at the military police station with his father," Mikoto finally smiled then.

Was Itachi's mother trying to play some kind of matchmaker? They were already married for kami's sake. Sakura was blunt in her refusal, "Nope, not today. I'm still a little upset with him."

"Well," Mikoto faltered unsure of what to say after such a curt response. "If you happen to change your mind, let me know. He'll be working with his father all this week."

Grateful that the woman wasn't pushing too hard, Sakura forced herself to smile. "I will. I think I'm going to go for a walk and check out the neighborhood." She picked up the damp cloth in her hand, and took it to the kitchen.

"Okay dear, just remember what my husband told you."

"Yeah, sure," Sakura responded quickly, and rolled her eyes again. She rinsed off the dishrag and laid it folded nicely over the silver divider in the sink.

Hurrying past Mikoto, she went to the hallway to head to the front door. Fresh air would do her some good, she decided. She blushed when she noticed that Itachi was standing at the front door, discussing something with his father in a low voice.

The conversation between Itachi and his father stopped as she approached the door. She decidedly ignored both men. She quickly slipped her feet out of the house slippers and into her sandals. Out of the corner of her gaze, she noticed Itachi's eyes following her. Finally, she glanced over at him. She crossed her arms and grinned saucily at him, "As far as I'm concerned, you can buy your own damn lunch."

Itachi blinked thrice, confused by her sudden outburst. Didn't he already buy his own lunch almost everyday? Before he could ask her what she meant by that, she was already long gone.

He looked back at his mother who was shaking her head and muttering to herself, "Oh dear."

Outside, Sakura jumped off the porch, forgoing the steps completely. She decided that if she had to be stuck here for a week, she'd make the most of it. Tilting her chin at an upward angle, the breeze picked up and the wind spirits greeted her in their way. It made her feel a lot less alone.

As she walked, she scanned her surroundings thoughtfully. She remembered when this section of town, was nothing but greenery. It had been full of trees, and right now, there would have been patches of reds and oranges with the summer wild flowers.

Now it was nothing but rows of houses, a few apartment buildings, and a few Uchiha family merchants who kept a couple shops. It was almost like its own miniature village. She couldn't even imagine having so many blood relatives around and practically all in one spot. The whole concept was a foriegn one to her, having been orphaned so young. She wondered absently not for the first time, if the Hyuuga clan compound was similar to all this.

She ignored the curious eyes on her, continuing on her way and winding down the street. Her eyes skimmed the compound walls, noticing that they had added the Uchiha motifs on the light beige painted brick. Everything looked just about completed, except for a few more homes that were still in the middle of construction.

Her village had changed so much. It was actually rather amazing how fast things could change. She almost felt like if she had blinked, she would have missed it. Fortunately, the thought didn't bother her like it used to. Just a few months ago, the villagers had been scared of her. They had tagged her as the village witch. It was something she had embraced whole-heartedly to protect her heritage from prying eyes. Now everything in her life was so different that it was almost like the opposite between night and day. She had a husband, and in a sense a family of sorts. Her cheeks reddened just thinking about it. Of course she'd had her aunt, but even just knowing that she was blood related to that old crone was still kind of new to her.

It wasn't like she could go visit Koharu right now anyway.

Sakura halted in her steps when she noticed that she had wound her way down through the compound to the exit. She looked at the pale archway leading out and after a staring at it for several moments, her lips firmed.

Squaring her shoulders, she marched straight to it. A feeling of rebelliousness stirring in her chest. Who did the Uchiha men think they were anyway? This was her village dammit! She stopped in front of the exit with a bit of hesitation. Finally, she took two large steps outside into the street. She planted her fist on her hips and she cackled almost manically to no one and everyone, "I'll take as many steps as I want outside old man!" She took another step for good measure. It was petty of her, and she knew it. However, that didn't detract from the enjoyment of her actions.

"Um Sakura," a familiar male voice suddenly asked uncertainly. "Are you okay?"

The shaman looked up, noticing that she had garnered an audience of curious onlookers. People on both sides were staring at her wide eyed. When they realized she was staring back at them, they started whispering instead. Oops, she thought to herself privately. She must have made that little announcement much louder than she realized.

Green eyes met vibrant blue. A friendly grin touched her lips, "Hey there Naruto. It seems I got caught. What are you doing around here?"

"I'm just waiting for Sasuke. We're supposed to meet up here. Sai's already waiting at the training grounds. Wanna join us?"

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, that she couldn't. Sasuke spoke from behind her, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin, "She won't be able to today," the Uchiha sent her a side glance full of hot warning, "Go on ahead, I'll catch up with you in a few."

"Sure. I guess," Naruto nodded, giving Sakura one more curious look before turning to leave.

Once the blond was out of sight, Sasuke gripped her upper arm tightly and yanked her back inside the compound.

She gasped loudly when Sasuke shoved her none too gently against the wall. Sakura returned his burning glare, "What the hell was that for?" She was working up a good static shock to give him, when he tightened his hold on her arm. She winced noticeably, "Ouch! Is this all necessary? Let me go! I get it already. I was just..."

"You were just...?" Sasuke mocked her, his voice icy. His countenance was grim. He added with a sneer, "not thinking."

"Why are _you _so angry? I wouldn't think that you'd even care. You don't even like me to begin with dammit!" Sakura snapped back at him, angry that he was manhandling her. The brothers were more alike than they knew, she thought bitterly. Annoyed by his behavior, she hissed at him, "You can let me go now."

Sasuke finally released his bruising grip on her, "If I disliked you, then I would have just let you wander off. With some luck, someone would have taken you. After all, if someone killed you off, my brother could keep the land around the shrine. That would free him up so that he could marry someone far more suitable for him."

Her eyes narrowed on his face. "So why didn't you just do that then?"

"Because, I don't dislike you. What I don't like is your idiotic, and thoughtless behavior." Sasuke's gaze grew even fiercer, "But that's besides the point. I know you don't take shinobi seriously, which is very stupid. If you keep behaving so carelessly, it really will end up getting you killed. Father should have just had someone keep an eye on you."

"I wasn't going to go anywhere, anyway." She argued back heatedly, disturbed by the thought of being followed by someone all week. "I was about to come right back inside..."

Sasuke drew in so close they were almost nose to nose. He ground out in a low tone, "All it would take is a moment." He pulled back, his eyes still cold. "If you care at all about my brother, then you wouldn't choose to behave so foolishly. Would you want to be the reason he lost his chance at Hokage?"

Sakura could argue back that Itachi didn't want to be Hokage in the first place, but she held her tongue knowing that Itachi wouldn't appreciate her interference. She finally capitulated, "Fine. I understand."

"Good. I won't say anything about it to my father or Itachi this time." Sasuke warned her before walking away. He added coolly with a deceptively nonchalant wave, while not bothering to look back at the vexed female, "Just make sure you don't do it again."

She rubbed the spot where he had grabbed her and winced again. That had hurt dammit! What was it with the Uchiha siblings and pushing helpless maidens against brick walls? She wouldn't be surprised if there would be some bruising later. It was then that she realized that Sasuke had just admitted that he liked her. Well, sort of anyway.

A small smile twisted her lips. She called after him cheerfully just as he was about to step through the exit, "Enjoy your spar with Naruto..." She paused, waiting for him to glance back at her and when he did, she added jovially, "My dear, _brother-in-law_."

Sasuke's eyes widened substantially for several, long moments as if he couldn't quite believe what he'd just heard. Then when what she had said registered, he sent her a dark, irritated frown. In response, she gave him a small, happy wave, wiggling her fingers cheekily.

His eyes narrowed at her over the top teasing but instead of reacting further, he pivoted sharply on his heel and left her standing there, still grinning wildly. Maybe she could make the best of this week after all, she decided.

She turned back towards the house, wondering absently where Hana could have gone. Perhaps she should beg the feline to take her with her next time. Somewhere else far away from the Uchiha compound, in a mulberry bush, Hana sneezed.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: This is more of a continuation of chapter 14. But instead of marking it something like 14.2, I figured I might as well start off anew. ALSO – A note of thanks to Mokulule, who surprised me with two beautiful fanarts for Free Fall. She's not only a talented artist, but she also has some great stories posted on this website. If you're interested in seeing the fanart picture, I have the link posted at the bottom of my author's profile page. Or you can paste the link from here and fill in the spaces! Check it out, and tell her what you think!**

**Http: slash slash mokulule (dot) deviantart (dot) com (slash) art (slash) Free-Fall-155611443**

**The other is also linked in my profile, or you can check further into her wonderful fanart for the Naruto fandom on her deviantart page!**

**Disclaimer: My three cats own me. Oh and I'm on my way to owning my car! But alas, I do not own Naruto.**

**Chapter 15**

Sakura glanced at the compound exit with one last longing glance. She had the feeling that this was going to be the most boring, and drawn out week of her life. Too bad she couldn't take Tenten up on that offer for a ladies night out for a drink or two. Or three...

Running a hand through her hair, she let out a dismal sigh. Pivoting on her heel, she slowly meandered to the house. Before heading inside, she went to take a look at the pond. She stepped out onto the newly built miniature dock, and gazed for a few minutes at the dim waters.

She turned to the house, and decided that she'd better go and unpack those suitcases. She wasn't going to get to return home, until the middle of the following week, no matter how much she wished Itachi would suddenly change his mind. She blew a puff of air upward, sending her bangs dancing wildly.

"Hello," she called out as she opened the front door. When there was no reply, she shrugged to herself and slipped out of her sandals. Wriggling her feet into her pink slippers, she strode down the hall and straight into her temporary bedroom.

Hauling the suitcases up onto the bed, she unzipped them both and was relieved to find that Itachi had folded all of his clothes and had placed them very neatly inside. It put her own suitcase to shame, she thought to herself dourly. She smiled, amused by the sight. At least it would make her job quick and easy.

Turning to the dresser, she noted that there were six drawers. She decided that Itachi would get the left side, and she would take the right. When she slid open the first drawer, she noticed that Itachi hadn't bothered to bring all of his clothes to the shrine. Frowning, she opened every drawer and shifted all his stuff to his newly designated side.

When she finally got to the bottom drawer, she picked up a pile of old black shirts, that looked like they had seen better days. A frown played about her lips when she noticed that one of the shirts was jagged and torn. Why would he keep something like that? He was from what she knew of him, a very meticulous person. She pondered silently, knowing full well that Itachi was someone who was typically very neat, and organized. Shaking her head to clear her wayward thoughts, she decided it didn't matter. This was his private stuff, she wouldn't question it. If he liked to collect shirts with holes in them, who was she to say anything?

Just as she was about to place the damaged shirt into the drawer, something fell out of the sleeve. Reaching down, her fingers grasped the corner of what she had first assumed to be an aged piece of paper. She realized staring at the slightly browned corners with a start that it was an old photo. Flipping it over, her eyes widened substantially.

It was a bit faded, but she could easily make out Itachi standing next to someone else she'd never seen before. She almost grinned when she noticed that the man didn't even smile for his pictures. She guessed that this was taken quite a while ago. She could tell that he was a teenager here, but with the stern set of his features, it made it difficult for her to hazard a good guess at his age when this photo was taken.

Next to him, another young teen stood, with his arm looped in a good-natured pose around Itachi's shoulders. Unlike Itachi, the other teen was all toothy smiles with a cheerful demeanor. The stranger reminded her vaguely of Sasuke with the spiky nature of his black hair, except his was longer, and tied back into a low ponytail vastly similar to the way Itachi kept his now. She could easily tell that they were related. Maybe this stranger was an older brother? Or maybe a cousin perhaps?

Sakura could feel curiosity beginning to eat at her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when there was a sudden knock at the door. Fumbling with the picture in her hand, she shoved it in her pocket just as the door slid open. Sakura pasted a smile on her face, feeling guilty even though she knew she really shouldn't. It wasn't like she was snooping. She'd actually been doing something productive.

Mikoto poked her head in, "Oh, so you did make it back! I see you're busy. I have to head outside the compound to do some grocery shopping. Did you or Itachi need anything?"

Sakura quickly shook her head. "No, but thanks." She could still feel her cheeks burning with guilt.

"Okay well, I'll see you at dinner tonight."

The shaman nodded, and just as Mikoto was about to leave, Sakura opened her mouth to ask Itachi's mother about the mysterious photograph. She quickly closed her mouth and shook her head, changing her mind. The door shut once again, and she was left alone in the room. Sliding her hand back into her pocket, she pulled out the now slightly crinkled picture and stared hard at the two boys in it.

She reprimanded herself, her voice stern, "I promised Itachi I'd wait for him to tell me about himself when he was ready..." Her fingers slightly shook as she refolded the ripped shirt. Placing the photograph back inside the sleeve she started to place the torn piece of clothing into the bottom drawer. She hesitated a moment. She hated to admit it, but she was so curious that it almost physically hurt. It was a new feeling for her and she could honestly say she didn't like it so much.

Sakura knew that they were still slowly getting used to one another. They'd even shared a few kisses, and Itachi had even embraced her. But he'd never really told her anything about himself. Well, that wasn't completely true; he'd shared how he felt about many things back when she'd taken him to the cave. On the other hand, he had forced her to open up, just so that she could earn that small bit of trust that they shared now. But even then, she'd been willing to tell him about herself. She trusted Itachi, she really did. She hadn't lied about that.

Her chest suddenly ached and her fingers shook. She squeezed the trembling appendages into a tight fist. She reached into the sleeve and pulled out the picture again. She murmured to herself without realizing that she was even speaking out loud, "I want to know more about him."

What was this feeling welling up inside her? Sakura clutched the photo close to her chest, almost hugging it. She almost felt bereft. It was bizarre, seeing Itachi so young in the picture, and yet his eyes had looked so old in contrast to his youthful features. Even then, the stoic grooves that slashed down his cheeks were already there. In a way, it saddened her to see such an expression on his face. She knew though, that she had been somewhat the same at that age. It didn't make her feel any less sorry for him. She knew very well what it was like to have one's childhood jerked away from them.

The desire to learn more about the man in her life, burned hotly inside of her. What kind of life did he have before arriving in her village? Who was this person next to him that seemed so happy? She still didn't know her husband all that well, but she did know him enough to know that Itachi wouldn't just let anyone hang on him like that. He'd been close to that person. At least, at some point in his life.

She visualized Itachi's rare smile, and in response her heart thumped in her chest.

Her eyes widened. What was this emotion welling up inside of her? Her free hand went to her chest, fingers digging into the material of her shirt. She shook her head. She didn't have any reason to feel guilty. Any normal person would be curious, wouldn't they?

Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she finally placed the picture in her pocket. Maybe Sasuke would tell her about the mysterious teenager next to Itachi in the photo, if she asked politely. He had admitted that he didn't hate her. She played with the idea of asking her husband, but something about it reeked of prying. Sakura had promised that she wouldn't do that. But then again, what was difference in sneaking around? She mentally struggled with both scenarios and quickly realized she was just running in mental circles.

With a sigh she rose to her feet, and finally got around to getting the rest of the clothing tucked into the drawers, nice and neat.

Running the back of her hand across her forehead, she released a soft sigh. That had taken longer than she had initially thought it would. It wasn't that they had a lot of clothes. It was that, everything had to be folded a certain way, so that it would fit in the dresser. Even Itachi's furniture was out to give her a headache. She smiled grimly at the wayward thought.

Glancing at the clock, she realized that it was already late in the afternoon. Just as she stepped out into the hallway, she heard someone coming in the front door. The front door shut, and she pondered who would be back so early. Other than Mikoto, the rest of the family had gone out to play ninja. A part of her hoped that it was Sasuke, so she could ask him about the picture in private.

She hurried down the hall to see who had come home first. Sakura stopped short in her tracks when she nearly ran into Itachi, as he stepped out of the small foyer.

"Oh um, I didn't expect you back so soon," Sakura stuttere, feeling awkward even as she said it.

Itachi arched a curious brow at her, and her cheeks turned bright red.

She asked hurriedly, "What are you doing here? Your mother said you were going to the Military Police Station with your father."

The shadow of a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. "It's of little concern, but I've already been there and have taken care of the matters that needed my attention."

That was quick, she thought privately. She bit at her lip. "Oh I see, um - so you're off for the rest of the day?"

Sakura tried not to react beneath his probing stare. She knew she sounded off. Something in the back of her mind was telling her, just to ask him outright. But she couldn't gather the courage to just blurt something so obviously private to him out. There was apart of her that was afraid to even voice her thoughts. There was something about that photograph, that made her feel like she was trespassing in territory that she didn't belong. It was just, that when she really thought about it, she knew so very little about her new husband. And she was beginning to realize that, she wanted to know more about him. Would she ever really belong with someone like him? She pondered with a touch of melancholy.

"Is there something bothering you Sakura?" Itachi's voice drew her out of her reverie.

"No." She shook her head, and backed up a step, "I'm just surprised. That's all."

Sakura suddenly realized that acting so sheepish after being so upset and brash at him for his behavior the night before, that it would probably seem really suspicious to him.

She stiffened when Itachi hooked his finger under her chin, and tilted her face up, his dark eyes assessing her thoroughly. That strange fluttering of her heart was back. She felt tingles tremble through at the warmth and gentleness of his touch.

"Are you concerned because we will be sharing a room?" He asked abruptly, surprising her.

This time her face turned red. Not because she was embarrassed, but rather because even though his expression gave nothing away, there was an inflection of concern in his tone. Butterflies tickled the inside of her stomach.

Before she could respond he added, "If that's the case. I will sleep elsewhere."

Shocked that he would jump to that conclusion, Sakura sputtered, "No... no, that's not it." She sucked in a sharp breath, when she realized what she'd just said. She blushed profusely, "I – I just have something else on my mind."

"You're not angry with me anymore."

A blank look crossed her face. Angry? Oh yeah, she was supposed to still be sulking from their argument last night. But really, she couldn't say that she was still upset. Not when she had bigger fish to fry, so to speak. It would also be petty of her to lie about it at this point. Sighing, she shook her head, "No I'm not. I mean, we're here now. There's no use crying over spilled milk, as they say."

Something about Itachi's expression told her that he didn't believe her. In a way, she couldn't blame him. Not that she'd ever admit it outloud.

The conversation was getting to be a bit too much for Sakura, so she opted to give him a small smile, and stepped around him, to go outside.

Her eyes shut with frustration when he grasped her wrist to stop her. She turned to look at him. She sighed audibly, "I'm just going outside for some fresh air..."

"There is something bothering you."

The concern in his onyx gaze was her undoing. She reached forward and cupped his cheek with her free hand. Sakura stood on her toes and delivered a soft, chaste kiss on his lips. He released his hold on her, surprise and confusion etched into his features. He wasn't quite sure what to think about her bizarre behavior.

Sakura decided that being dishonest with him, wasn't going to get her anywhere. The man was damn persistent when he wanted to be. And she knew she wasn't a good enough actress to fool him. Finally, she was honest with him, "You're right, something is on my mind, but nothings wrong." He sent a stern look that told her he wasn't buying any of it. She capitulated with a small sigh, "I suppose if you really want to talk about it, you can meet me out back. I'll be waiting by the pond for you."

With that, she pivoted on her heel, and turned to the door once again. She quickly put on her sandals, and quickly slipped outside. The breeze picked up around her, having picked up on her mood immediately. The air whispered across the skin of her cheek, almost like a soothing caress. A true smile touched her lips, and after reveling in the feeling for several long moments, she finally made her way to the pond.

She sat down at the edge of the small dock, and kicked at the top of the water with her toes, causing the murky liquid to splash and ripple.

Sakura glanced up when she felt her husband's approach. His shadow loomed over her, and she gestured for him to sit next to her, by patting the empty spot. He hesitated a moment, and after realizing that she wasn't going to talk to him otherwise, he sat down.

Bracing her hands on the unfinished wood, she leaned back and stared up into the sky, her eyes tracing a powder puff of a cloud. She started to explain slowly, and was pleased that her voice remained even and controlled, "First of all, let me say, I'm not a snoop."

She didn't have to look at Itachi's face, to know that he was probably arching one of his brows in that aristocratic manner that she knew so well.

Sakura didn't wait for him to respond. She continued, this time with a fake joviality that she didn't feel, "I unpacked our suitcases as I said I would," she paused and shut her eyes, "and as I was moving your stuff to the left side, so that I would have room to put my things – I came across this..."

Resuming a normal sitting position, Sakura forced that reluctant feeling away, and slowly pulled the picture out of her pocket. She handed it to him while doing her best allow guilt to surface on her face. She cleared her throat, "I know I should have put it back, but… I was curious."

When her eyes finally flit to the side to scan Itachi's shuttered features, something inside her recoiled at the blank coldness in his black orbs. His countenance was stony, and his gaze was frosty. His voice came out clipped and somewhat hoarse, "Where did you get this?"

Sakura gaped openly. Hadn't she just told him? She sidled away from him before responding, "In your dresser, like I said. It fell out of one of your old tops. Actually it came out of a black shirt that was all torn up and..."

"You became curious." He finished for her frostily, his eyes narrowing sharply on her face.

"Well, yes I did." She turned away, no longer wanting to see that expression in his expressive gaze. "I was afraid to ask you, I'll admit it. But, I didn't think you'd be so angry. I–" she paused and slowly closed her eyes as if this conversation was painful, "I understand if you don't want to tell me who that is. I understand it's really none of my business. I know I promised that I wouldn't pry but I couldn't help not asking..." She trailed off, not knowing what else to say to him.

Her eyes stung. Not for the tone of his voice, but because of her foolishness. She just wanted to know something about him. Anything about him at all. Before Itachi could say anything else, she quickly shot to her feet. For the first time in her life, Sakura truly wanted to run away. She was so stupid to think he'd share something so private with her! She couldn't blame him for being irritated with her.

"Sakura," the gentle way he said her name, immediately brought her to a halt.

She looked back over her shoulder, her green eyes clouded with hurt.

"I'm sorry."

She faltered at the apology. What was he apologizing for? The only thing she felt like she deserved an 'I'm sorry' for was the highhanded way he spoke to her last night. Certainly not for this. _This _was her fault.

"You do not have to run away." He laid his palm where she'd just sat, and patted the wooden surface.

Sakura was about to snap that she was doing no such thing, but she clamped her mouth shut, when she realized that wouldn't be the truth at all. She had been about to make a run for it.

When the hesitation showed on her face, Itachi stood to his feet and quickly strode over to her. She didn't know how to react when he reached over and rubbed the pad of her cheek with his thumb. When he pulled the appendage away, she could see the dampness on the calloused skin, and she was mortified to realize that she'd actually started to cry.

Feeling stupid because of her actions, she started to apologize to him, "I'm sorry for being silly I..."

He shushed her by putting the same thumb over her mouth, "I apologize for speaking to you in such a way. It is understandable that you would be curious. We should sit back down."

Sakura complied, feeling sheepish. She waited for him to join her again, and he pivoted slightly so that he was facing her.

"First, I feel that I owe you an apology for upsetting you last night. I understand, probably better than anyone how important it is to you to be able to stay at the shrine." He paused and gave her a tiny self-recriminating smile before continuing, "Besides your aunt, that is."

Scrunching her nose, she made a face at him. "Yes that's too true. Honestly, you could have approached all that much better."

"You still would have been angry regardless." His mouth quivered with barely disguised mirth, but he relented, "But you are correct. I could have."

"I'm not angry anymore. Like I said, there's no point. So I'll accept the apology, but..." her voice trailed away as she pinned him with pointed look, "I expect some sort of compensation for last night."

The masculine smirk that suddenly twisted his lips, made her toes curl in her sandals. He leaned forward, "What sort of _compensation _would you be suggesting?"

"Um," Sakura's cheeks grew pink when she noticed the husky note in his typically smooth tenor. She laughed, doing her best to hide her nervousness. "Well, maybe after all this Hokage nonsense is over, a nice dinner out perhaps."

Itachi's smirk quirked, as he drew away from her to give her some breathing space.

She watched his eyes flicker over to the picture that he had set aside and he let out a slow breath. His lips flattened, and his eyes grew cold once again. She was grateful that, that particular look wasn't directed at her. The sheer intensity of it, sent shivers dancing down her spine.

Itachi picked the picture up and handed it back to her. "I would like you to put this back where you found it." He caught her chin with his fingertips when she tried to avert her eyes, "I will tell you about it. But – not today. Will you wait until I'm ready?"

Sakura felt her heart twist at his aloof countenance. Placing the picture back into her pocket she she nodded. In an uncharacteristically sweet voice she conceded, "Of course, I mean – I really appreciate that you would be willing to tell me at all. I will wait for as long as you need."

Appreciation lit his eyes, softening the harsh hue to dark gray. He leaned forward and placed a soft, gentle kiss on her lips.

Something inside of Sakura snapped at his warm touch. Just as he was about to back away, she grasped the back of his neck with her hand, and fervently deepened the kiss. The scent of rainwater engulfed her senses and she sighed in pure pleasure against his mouth. Itachi's hand settled on the crook of her hip, and he pulled her closer and caressed her lips with his own in such a way, that her knees started to feel like they were going to turn into jelly.

Burying her fingertips into his hair, she gasped against his mouth when his lips on hers grew more fervent and demanding. The hand at the nape of his neck, traveled down the length of his shoulder and settled, the tips of her fingers slowly tracing his collarbone.

It was Itachi who broke the contact. He looked down into her upturned face, noting her passion darkened eyes, and the fullness of her swollen pink lips. He almost groaned out loud when he realized that they were at his parent's house. He almost wanted to chuckle at the irony of the situation.

Maybe this was her way of paying him back for dragging her to the compound.

The haze of desire started to fade from Sakura's brain, and she was a bit embarrassed by her sudden brash behavior. What had come over her? She lifted her chin, still somewhat dazed. She gazed at her husband's handsome face, only to feel tingles skate up and down her spine.

Itachi was about to reach for her again, when a dry, and familiar voice interrupted them, "You two are more like a pair of teenagers than a married couple."

Sakura knew that there was no reason to be embarrassed, but she still blushed.

Itachi merely turned his head to glance at his brother, an apathetic look on his face.

Sakura noticed the vastly similar way the siblings were looking at one another and she chuckled, drawing both of their attention on her. The simultaneous arching eyebrows, caused the laughter to explode from deep within her, throwing her into a fit of giggles and bending her over at the waist.

"Must," gasping and out of breath, she shook her head and wiped her watery eyes, "be a Uchiha trait."

Rising to her feet, she stood and faced Sasuke. She tilted her head to the side, "You're already back from sparring practice?" Her eyes did a slow scan of the male in front of her from head to toe, noting the smudges of dirt, and specks of grass on his usually pristine clothing. Her lips twisted into an amused smile, "What happened? Did Naruto kick your ass?"

Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes tellingly, "He wishes."

"Indeed you have returned earlier than usual," Itachi suddenly intoned coolly, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Before Sasuke could respond, Sakura interjected with a wry smirk, "I guess I'll leave you both to it. I'm sure you both want to discuss your little ninja activities in peace."

Hurrying inside, she immediately went to her temporary bedroom, and sat down on the floor next to the bureau. Opening the bottom receptacle, she pulled the picture out of her pocket and gave it one last look. Finally, she placed it back where she'd found it. She looked away, while she shut the drawer firmly. The noise of the scraping wood, gave her the feeling of finality. After seeing Itachi's expression, when he first seen the photograph in her hand, was enough to make her believe that – he'd never truly be ready to tell her about it.

Rising to her feet, she strode to the window, and gazed outside. Looking out into the distance, at least as far as the compound wall would allow. She wondered when it was, that she desired her husband's trust in her. They hadn't been married all that long, heck they hadn't known one another for much longer than that. Yet, she realized that her emotions concerning her husband, grew by the day in a direction that she hadn't ever expected. She really wanted to get to know him. The emotions the gripped her, were unfamiliar to her, and yet they weren't entirely unwelcome. It hurt knowing that she had such a long way to go, but at the same time, she knew it better than feeling nothing at all.

Propping her elbows on the wooden sill, she cradled her chin in the palm of her hand. The week at the Uchiha residence would indeed be long, but the reasons why had changed, all within the course of the first day of this little imposed vacation.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **Much faster than you thought huh kiddies? I finally just said, to heck with it. I'll fix what I can fix to get better, but until then, I'm not going to let it hold me back in this story. This is where things start to pick up. I hope you like it. Oh yeah, and Sakura gets to show that sarcastic side, we all love and cherish. Also to note, I did jack up the rating to "M" merely because of the foul language in this chapter, just in case.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. But I do like pie!

**Chapter 16**

During the following couple of days, Sakura didn't get to see much of Itachi. The same could be said of his younger brother Sasuke. She chalked it all down, to the big event that was about to occur. She knew the two siblings were out and about, to make certain everything was being prepared to the current Hokage's satisfaction.

She spent much of her time wandering the Uchiha district, getting to know the new buildings within the compound, while mentally mapping out the new layout of a land she used to know so well before the new residents had moved in and changed it all. She remembered that there used to be a partially open meadow here, and a small grove of several proud oaks. She'd hazard a guess to say, that part of those trees were still standing before her, but in the form of the houses she saw now. There would have also been, several red and orange summer wild flowers dotting the landscape.

Sakura shook her head. From the cliffs to the valley. The new residents had definitely made their mark.

She thought back to the day after she'd asked her husband about the mysterious picture. Itachi had informed at breakfast that morning that he would be busy for nearly the entire week. In other words. She'd see very little of him. So, with nothing else to do, she had meandered wherever she could out of boredom. She used the excuse to get out of the stifling feeling of the in law's house. Even though, they hadn't mentioned her rude behavior to the elders to her face, the warmth from Itachi's mother had cooled towards her.

Especially after the woman realized that her daughter in law still refused to take a lunch down to the Military Police Station to Itachi, like a good little wifey should. It wasn't that Sakura had lied, and was still upset with Itachi. No, it was merely because the whole idea felt rather strange to her.

Going to a place where she didn't belong, just didn't sit well with her. She wasn't sure Itachi would be happy to see her there anyway, even if she was bringing him a homemade lunch. The mental imagery alone, made her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

With Fugaku, it was painfully obvious that he merely tolerated her presence in his household. She wasn't sure if the man liked, or disliked her. Whenever he glanced her way, his expression was apathetic and impassive. She couldn't peg what the man was thinking, but truth be told, it was probably for the best she didn't know. He made her feel like a pesky fly that was buzzing around in the house, that he didn't feel like getting up to squash.

So needless to say, Sakura felt like an outsider. She snorted, and blew a puff of frustrated air upwards, sending her bangs flying out of her eyes. What else was new? It was a feeling that the young woman knew all too well.

Hana hadn't come to visit her either. Sadly, that wasn't so unusual these days either. She'd be damned if she knew what the feline was up to. Not that, that was anything new either.

Gazing with longing in the direction of the walls, she looked up to the blue sky above, and watched a cloud drift by. It made her think about Shikamaru. What she wouldn't give to have another philosophical conversation with the lazy shinobi. Heck, she'd even like to hit up the ramen shop with Naruto. Or go for a drink with Tenten. She missed her great aunt, and wondered how the old bat was faring in all this stuff going on. Even if she was retired, Sakura would bet that the elderly woman, was heavily involved in the choosing of a new Hokage.

Her aunt would do anything to insure that the peace that had been achieved after the shinobi had moved in, would be maintained at all costs. A smirk twisted her lips, hell – she'd even love to have a decent argument with the harpy. Even a nice, quick bicker with Sasuke almost sounded wonderful. Sakura hated to admit that she missed the challenge of vocal sparring. But she really did.

She bit at her lower lip, wondering when it was, she had gotten so reliant on the company of other people. Not even half a year ago, she reveled in being alone. Sakura had enjoyed frightening people into leaving her to her hermit lifestyle. Heck, she enjoyed knowing that even the city guard feared her. She'd been the village witch, and proud of it.

It had been easier. No ties to anyone. It had been just her and a Hana that couldn't speak to her yet. To her, a furry family member that loved tuna.

Things had changed so much.

Like the changing of seasons, as Hana would tell her. The cat would probably also lecture her for not meditating in the mornings, like she was supposed to.

A small smile twisted her lips. She could almost hear Hana's irate voice now. She really did miss her companion. But lately, the cat just hadn't been around all that much.

In the end, as great as spending time with all those people sounded to her at the moment; she still missed Itachi the most.

Sakura made a face at that last thought. She was starting to become pathetic. She mentally berated herself. Where did all the fire she had go? She actually sort of yearned for her old protective shield of sarcasm and sharp words.

Maybe she had gotten tired of trying to being strong all the time, and her haywire emotions were letting her know, they needed a break.

Lost in her thoughts, the young woman traversed the neighborhood. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed see the flashes of clan members bustling about. Lifting her head, unable to keep the curiosity filling her at bay, she noticed that she had once again wandered into the residential area of the Uchiha compound.

Curious, at all the hustle. She turned to the side, and realized with a start the men were putting up red and black streamers. The women were hurrying about, cleaning up the streets and the sidewalks. Her eyebrows winged together at the sight. What was going on? Was there some kind of party, that everyone had failed to mention to her?

Not that she'd been talking to much of anyone anyway. Not that it was Itachi's fault. She understood that he was busy. It was just damn lonely and boring.

Tamping down fiercely on her swirling thoughts, she forced them away. Finally, when she couldn't help her meddlesome inquisitiveness any longer, she stopped a teenage boy who could have passed for a younger version of Sasuke, minus the spiky hair, "Excuse me. What's going on around here?"

He stopped, and eyed her from head to toe. The arrogance in his stance made her want to laugh, but she knew if she did, he wouldn't answer. Suffering his perusal, he finally replied, looking down his nose at her, "You must be Itachi's new wife. I suppose it can't be helped that you don't know."

Sakura contemplated the pros and cons of giving the teen a static shock.

Before she could come to a conclusion, he drawled, "The Hokage is coming to give his regards and a speech to our clan today to thank us for our participation. He is going to each candidate's clan, to give well wishes." He smirked down at her, his facial features giving away the fact that he felt superior in this knowledge. He continued, waving his hand towards the platform that was being put up, "This is done to show that he holds no favoritism with the next in line candidates, to ensure that each clan feels equal."

She thanked the teenage boy for his precious time, doing her best not to sneer back at him. His uppity attitude was quickly getting on her nerves. The distasteful expression on his face alerted her to the fact she had failed to keep her emotions from showing.

He turned away, and left her to her musings. She put a finger to her lip, her gaze going skyward. Well, this would explain why the Uchiha brothers had been so busy. Fortunately, she hadn't seen much of Fugaku either. And now she knew why.

If what Itachi had told her about the next Hokage already being chosen was true. Then this was all for show anyway. That old fart was a wily one, she mentally conceded, deeply amused by all of this fuss. It was so much to have to do, just to keep the peace amongst the clans. Were they really such sore losers that this was really necessary?

She thought about Neji's stern faced uncle and chuckled when she realized that it was probably very necessary for this whole ordeal to work out. The old codger definitely had his work cut out for him.

Settling next to a tree, she sat down and leaned against the trunk. She picked up a leaf that had long fallen on the ground, and stared at it, losing herself in her thoughts again.

Sakura couldn't help but wonder what kind of speech the Hokage would give. It wasn't like anyone but Itachi was participating. Maybe she just didn't understand the importance of blood lineage. When she thought about it, she was proud to be a shaman. She was also gratified to know that her clan had started this village. Konoha, which was once, Ixion – was a wonderful place to live.

The wind around her picked up, drawing her attention to it. She tilted her head to the side, to listen to the whispers that were so familiar to her.

"Hana wishes to let you know, she plans to return in a couple of days," was told her, in a melodic choir of voices.

A grin curved her lips, and in a soft hush, she thanked the wind spirits for bringing her the message.

At least the feline hadn't forgotten about her.

The breeze danced around her happily, before flitting away.

Sakura let a floating leaf settle in her palm, as she lifted her eyes once more to the scene in front of her. Lifting her hand, she let the wind carry the foliage away. The people who had worked so hard to set everything up, had dispersed and were milling away, minus a couple of men who had decided to stand watch over all their handiwork.

Her gaze trailed over the spiraling red streamer, that looped around its black counterpart that hung off of the front of several homes. The hastily built platform, where the Hokage was supposed to come to speak, was set dead center.

"Shouldn't you be a little more dressed up?" A familiar male voice asked from beside her.

Startled, Sakura practically jumped to her feet to eye the newcomer. She tilted her head to the side, "Shikamaru! What are you doing here? I thought outsiders weren't allowed in clan compounds."

"It's troublesome." The bored expression on his face didn't falter.

Amusement danced in her green eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, "In other words. More ninja stuff? I guess you're probably doing something to get ready for this speech the Hokage's going to give."

He eyed her rumpled appearance from head to toe, "Not that I care, but really – you should be dressed properly for such an auspicious occasion."

Sakura rolled her eyes tellingly. She scoffed, "No one told me about any of this." She gestured towards the stand, "I had to pull some uppity, stick-up-the-ass Uchiha aside to get an explanation."

Shikamaru shoved his hands into his pockets in his trademark pose. His lip quirked, like he almost wanted to laugh, but as usual he refrained. The male sighed out loud, "I shouldn't be surprised. The elders may have not have wanted you to know. Or maybe, no one cared to tell you."

As soon as the words were out of Shikamaru's mouth, he regretted them. The feeling intensified when he got a good look at her expressive, almost too large, malachite orbs.

Her face was for the most part blank, but he knew her well enough to see the sadness in her eyes.

Sakura hated that she had to agree with Shikamaru. Itachi hadn't told her. He hadn't told her anything at all about all this. She shouldn't be surprised. After all, it wasn't until the night before her coming to the compound that he felt like telling her, and obviously Itachi hadn't believed it was all that important to mention this whole Hokage speech thing.

She was surprised that she didn't feel any anger. She felt hurt by the fact that it seemed as if he didn't really care at all. Maybe he had just apologized to her, to keep her from prying further into his life.

Sakura turned her eyes away from Shikamaru's all too knowing gaze. She agreed in a sotto voice, "You're probably right. Well, since that's the case. I should make myself scarce before the old goat arrives." She lifted a hand in a small, lackluster wave, "Goodluck with your shinobi stuff."

Shikamaru had the distinct feeling that, if Itachi ever found out what he'd just said to his wife, he might be in for an ass kicking. He grumbled under his breath, "Troublesome." Finally, he stalked away to get on with his assigned duties.

Meanwhile, Sakura had taken off in the direction towards the Uchiha's meeting hall, where she had first met the elders. She was walking blindly, a sheen of moisture blurring her vision. Even though her eyes burned with unshed tears, she didn't let them fall this time.

A voice inside her head consoled her. _Maybe he just didn't have time to tell you. You've hardly seen him the past couple of days. He's hardly had a moment to tell you goodnight, in the evening. Heck, he doesn't even come to breakfast in the morning._

Even with this in mind, the whole situation still irked her. Maybe she would always just be an outsider.

Not bothering to look where she was going, she almost tripped over a protruding stone in the small dirt path. She stumbled, but managed to keep her balance. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she halted and looked around herself to figure out where she'd gone.

Her eyes trailed back to the compound forlornly when the sound of a raucous cheer suddenly erupted through the natural silence.

Not wanting to linger any longer, Sakura turned away. Narrowing her eyes on the clan building in front of her, she glared at it's austere shape and color. It reminded her too much of the Uchiha clan's attitude. It almost made her want to spit on it.

She gazed longingly at the emerald hills that lay just beyond Konoha's walls. Seeing the open lands just out of her reach, made her want to run to her favorite place. The privacy that she knew she'd find in the cave, beckoned her. Indecision tore at her gut. Glancing back in the general direction of the miniature ceremony taking place, and then back to the path she was thinking about was taking. Sakura knew that leaving the compound would inevitably make Itachi upset with her. It wasn't the fact that he'd be angry that bothered her. It was because he'd lose a measure of trust in her. It was something fragile that she didn't want to break.

Another cheer went up. That sent Sakura turning harshly on the ball of her heel. It wasn't like she belonged with those people down there anyway, she thought grimly. If Itachi got mad at her, well – he'd just have to get over it. She stalked away, her eyes darting around for an exit. The entrance at the bottom couldn't be the only way in and out could it?

If she had to, she could use the small bit of chakra she had, and make a jump over the fencing. If she did that though, she would barely have enough reserves to open the cave entrance.

Sakura sighed and decided it was all futile. Running wouldn't solve a damn thing. It would only cause more problems for everyone. Besides, she didn't run away when the Hokage forced her to choose a husband she would hardly know with a paltry time limit of three days. She'd be damned if she'd become a coward now and take off with her tail inbetween her legs.

Deciding to turn back and see if she couldn't catch at least some of the Hokage's speech to the Uchiha clan, she pivoted and started to make her way back down.

She stiffened when out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed a quick flash of black and white. The canopy of the tree next to her rustled slightly, and then became completely still. There had been no breeze. She paused mid-step, hesitating. Sakura lifted her chin, and her gaze scanned to the left and right of her. Her senses flared outwards, trying to feel if there was anything odd. Her eyes widened when she realized that whoever was in that tree, had a chakra signature she didn't recognize.

Normally this wouldn't bother her but, she felt more than just one. She did a quick count, and realized that there were at least four people trailing her. She mentally cursed her emotional outburst. If she hadn't been so tuned into her pathetic problems, then she would have noticed that she'd literally been surrounded.

Sakura wondered if she should scream for help, or run for it? No. If these people where shinobi, which she was pretty certain they were; if that swirling malice meant anything anyway, she'd never make it to safety. She also doubted that her voice would reach that far, especially with the noisy crowd that had gathered for the event.

Coming to a decision, she stretched her hand out and within moments her eyes bled green, and the staff formed between her fingers. Hissing loudly, she lifted the staff and pointed it skyward, even as the vining that marked her bond with the Guardian's trailed and spread up her neck and up the right side of her cheek. She called upon fire and within moments the tree canopy burst into a ball of flames.

One of her stalkers came leaping out, cursing loudly and slapping at the fire starting to lick at the gray sleeves of his clothes. He landed directly in front of her.

She tried to remember if she'd seen him anywhere else before, and couldn't recall that she'd ever seen this person. He wore a green skullcap that partially covered the silver hair that hung loosely down to his shoulders. He had piercing cold brown eyes, and a nasty scowl that caused gooseflesh to erupt across her arms.

His thin lips furled into a dark sneer. He didn't bother to say anything, instead, he proceeded to pull a large shuriken that was strapped to his back. He pointed it at her, while falling into a fighting stance. He made a quick gesture with his free hand, and within the span of an eye blink, Sakura was surrounded by a various assortment of what she assumed to be nin on all sides.

Her grip tightened on her staff. Dark amusement curved her mouth upward. Here she was, being assaulted on the Uchiha compound, while the Hokage and her husband weren't really all that far away. Couldn't they sense these guys up here? Or perhaps the shinobi surrounding her were concealing their signatures. She herself, hadn't noticed them until they were practically on top of her. Talk about irony.

Maybe there was just so many people around, that no one would notice whether there were intruders or not.

"Just grab the girl Mizuki!" Someone from behind her demanded loudly, "It's taken us three days, just to get a damn moment that we can actually take her."

"Shut the hell up! Don't you remember what the boss said to us?" The male in front of her snapped back waspishly.

The complainer fell silent at that.

Sakura took that moment to drive the tail of her staff into the ground, sending the earth beneath their feet rolling in waves. Several loud curses and grunts rendered the air. Sakura didn't hesitate. She made a break for it, veering past a fallen shinobi. She wanted to at least try to make it down to the bottom of the hill to safety, all the while mentally cursing the fact that she hadn't ever really had a good offensive tactics lesson with Hana.

Fear nipped at her heels, as she could sense them gaining on her fast. A sharp cry left her lips when she was roughly tackled to the ground. Harsh fingers bit into her wrists, bruising her tender flesh. The staff in her hand disappeared, when her mental hold broke from the pain. She just barely managed to keep her bond active. Struggling like a wildcat, she bit the nearest skin that happened to pass by close enough. The person holding her down, grunted in pain, but didn't release his hold. She was gratified to see the tell tale signs of blood. They weren't going to take her without a fight, she thought savagely.

Crying out, she begged the wind to assist her, and immediately the air around them began to swirl violently. More curses broke through the sounds of her struggle with them. She twisted her body wildly trying to loosen her assailant's grip on her.

"Just knock the bitch out!" She heard one of the other men hiss from behind her, a different voice than the one that had complained before.

A heavy blow suddenly hit her on the side of her head, and blinding pain shot up her temples. It wasn't long until her thoughts started to grow fuzzier by the second. The last conscious thought that came to her was, _Itachi, I'm sorry I..._ Then, all went black and she slumped unconscious in the arms of her captor.

**-o-**

Itachi stood next to the Hokage, as the elderly man gave his speech to his family members in the street. He absently listened to the words, he knew had probably been given to the Hyuuga's, the Uzumaki's and every other clan that had a member being considered for the new position opening up. The only difference, was that the Hokage probably traded one clan name out for another.

He would have smirked at the nonsense of it all, had he any less control.

Instead of focusing on the rambling about the 'burning fire that rages in the hearts of the shinobi of Konoha,' his eyes scanned the crowd for a glimpse of his wife. When he didn't find her, he suddenly realized almost absently, that he hadn't told her about the event. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen much of Sakura, for the past couple of days. He'd just been so busy with all the preperations, he hardly had the time to sleep.

He vaguely remembered her telling him goodnight the night before. He inwardly frowned. Itachi couldn't wait for all this to be over with. He already knew for a fact, that the Hokage wasn't going to choose him, so this was all just protocol anyway.

Itachi's frame stiffened when just as he finished that last thought, his hair came out of it's green binding, and the ribbon went slowly fluttering to the ground. Rivets of ebony hair tumbled freely down his back. Frowning down at his gift from Sakura. No one seemed to notice as he quickly bent to pick up the silky material. He vividly remembered Hana's words to him, _This gift Sakura gave you, is in fact a piece of herself. A tiny fragment of her soul. If anything should happen to it – then you will know without a doubt that something has happened to Sakura._

He stared down at the ribbon that still lay in the palm of his hand. He was certain that he had knotted it tightly that morning. For it to just fall out of his hair like that was completely bizarre.

Itachi's gaze lifted once again, and he looked over the crowd of the gathered clan members one more time. His eyes landed for several moments on his immediate family, and finally came to rest on Sasuke. His younger brother, having caught his questioning look, gave a nearly imperceptible half shrug as if to say, "I haven't seen her."

He continued to scan the crowd until they landed on a jounin, who was usually indifferent to his surroundings. Onyx orbs narrowed on Shikamaru, who for all intents and purposes, looked like his usual bored and unconcerned self. However, the lazy shinobi's shoulders were somewhat tense, and his eyes were not on the Hokage, which was highly unusual for the shinobi. His brown eyes were staring off into the distance, as if waiting for something or someone. Itachi knew the younger nin well enough to know who he was probably looking for. He didn't like the feeling that sat like a brick in his gut.

No longer able to stand it any longer, Itachi stepped off of the small stand interrupting the stream of lofty words still coming from the Sandaime.

He didn't even bother to stop and apologize to the Hokage for his sudden rudeness. Itachi ignored the horrified gasps of his parents, and the elders. The rest of the crowd started to whisper amongst each other. However Itachi didn't pay them any mind as he stalked dangerously towards Shikamaru, obsidian orbs melting into the bloody crimson hue of the sharingan. The tomoe in Itachi's eyes were spinning wildly, while never leaving the proximity of Shikamaru's face.

With each step he took, Shikamaru's nervousness started to become more and more apparent. The genius's typical, nonchalant posture stiffened when Itachi asked in an alarmingly soft voice that held a note of barely leashed violence, "Where is she?"

Shikamaru didn't even bother to feign indifference and boredom. He immediately pointed shakily in the direction he'd last seen her, "She took off up that way about half an hour ago or so."

Almost instantly, Itachi was gone.

Within moments, Shikamaru was accosted by the younger sibling.

He jerked a thumb in the direction of Itachi's abrupt departure before Sasuke could even open his mouth to ask, "Your brother went that way."

Sasuke also flickered out of sight, leaving him beneath the curious stares of the restless crowd. Typically Shikamaru would grumble about how troublesome this all was. However, his heart was barely beginning to slow down. Sweat blazed a trail down his temple. Shikamaru by all rights and purposes was not a person who was easily intimidated, but he'd never seen such a tempestuous look in Itachi Uchiha's eyes in all his life. He never wanted to see such a look from that man, directed at him ever again. It was almost as if he'd been looking death straight in the eye.

It was then that he realized that the tomoe that he'd seen in Itachi's sharingan activated orbs, wasn't shaped like the normal commas he was used to seeing. Instead, there something totally different about the man's eyes. Shelving that knowledge away for another day, he returned his attention to the Hokage.

He visibly shuddered. Shikamaru was relieved that the Hokage had started up his speech again, turning the crowd's attention back to the stand. The Sandaime met Shikamaru's eyes from his position however, and the shinobi nodded understanding what the Hokage wanted immediately. He was relieved by the fact that he was being dismissed to go help the Uchiha brothers, even if that meant he would be trailing after an angry predator, who was on the prowl for blood.

**-o-**

Itachi looked at the signs of the struggle that went on. His gaze roamed in a deceptively lazy manner from the burnt tree, to the cracked ground. He looked at the scrap of Sakura's clothing he'd found in the midst of all the chaos that had gone on, not too long beforehand. The fact that someone had taken his wife right from under his nose, angered him beyond anything he'd felt in a very long time.

Sasuke pointed at the several smeared tracks of footprints in the dirt. He sneered disdainfully at the evidence left behind, "It wasn't like they were even trying to cover their tracks. It's obvious, that they were in a hurry."

Itachi paced for several moments, and then his eyes snapped up to Sasuke's. It was then Sasuke noticed how incredibly agitated his sibling was. He cleared his throat, trying to soothe his brother by saying, "If these idiots are this clumsy, it probably won't be a problem to track them down."

"I brought Sakura to the compound because I believed she would be safe here," Itachi looked away. In an uncharacteristic display of temper, he threw a kunai at the trunk of a tree that was still smoldering with the signs of hot embers, hitting the center of the blackened bark dead on. He ground out, his nostrils slightly flaring, "And whoever it was, was able to take her away even with the Hokage so close by." The whole situation bordered on ridiculous.

The fury still burning in Itachi's eyes, made Sasuke almost feel sorry for the fool who had been stupid enough to take Sakura, because Sasuke knew that should Itachi ever get his hands on said person. He or she was going to die. There would be no questions asked.

Sasuke could only remember one other time, that he'd seen that gleam of murderous intent in Itachi's eyes. The memory of the outcome of that event, could still make him shudder from head to toe to this very day. Sasuke had no idea, that Sakura had already come to mean so much to his brother. He never thought he'd see the day, where something like this set his brother off.

Shikamaru interrupted them, even though it was obvious he didn't really want to. His brown orbs were looking over the scene, already taking in the details. He voiced without any noticeable inflection, "I've sent for Hatake Kakashi. You might want to grab one of her personal items, so that they can get started as soon as they arrive, if you don't already have one on you."

The nin tried not to flinch as Itachi's hard gaze landed on his face. The full on stare of a sharingan user that was pissed, was unnerving to say the least.

Sasuke and Shikamaru exchanged looks. Neither of them quite knew how to handle Itachi in this state. Itachi was the shinobi who was usually calm, cool, and collected in every situation. No matter how bad it was. The elder Uchiha sibling, was typically the nin who could look at nearly any scenario he came across in a level-headed manner and execute a plan of attack without batting an eyelash.

Shikamaru could already see the hot anger that had blazed in the other male's harsh glare had cooled down considerably. That would have been somewhat reassuring, if that heat hadn't instead grown into onyx icebergs that were as frigid as the infamous glaciers of Snow Country.

He wasn't sure which was better. The burning ire he'd seen before, or the wintry coldness that gleamed with the promise of unleashed violence. He determined he didn't care for either.

Sasuke was relieved when Kakashi arrived on the scene with Pakkun already in tow. The little pug was dressed in his usual navy bolero, his trademark droopy eyed expression surveying the group of nin present. The gruff voice of the dog grabbed the attention of all the humans in the vicinity, "Alright, who am I tracking 'ere? Anything I can get started with would be appreciated."

Wordlessly, Itachi held out the jagged cranberry material towards the pug.

The small dog jogged forward, and unceremoniously buried his nose into the personal effect. Immediately his nostrils flared and went the ground, over the tracks and skid marks that were still quite in evidence. After several loud sniffs, a harsh howl broke from his lips, and his tongue lolled out over his sharp teeth. With a baying woof, he was off like a shot and into the trees leading out of the city itself.

Kakashi wasted no time in following the nin dog. He knew better than anyone, once Pakkun had located a scent, there was no stopping him. He didn't even bother to look behind him, knowing that the unusual squad that had just been put together out of circumstance was already hot on his heels. The group went over the Uchiha clan walls, and over the uneven rooftops of the row of houses leading out of Konoha. In what seemed like moments, they were out in the forest surrounding the village.

Suddenly, a kunai whirred dangerously passed his head and hit an exploding tag that was sloppily hidden, just ahead of them. The explosion that went off, cracked the trunk of a tree, sending it toppling with a groaning crash. The makeshift team was forced to avoid the flying debris and splittering wood. Sasuke had to duck a particulary sharp piece of bark. He sent his brother a frown, but Itachi didn't return his younger sibling's hard stare.

"Well if they weren't aware they were being trailed yet, they will now," Shikamaru muttered from behind Kakashi, irritated by Itachi's uncharacteristic display of temper.

Kakashi snuck a quick glance over his shoulder, and winced at Itachi's dangerous expression. The copy nin, was suddenly of the distinct impression that Itachi wanted the kidnappers to know that someone was tailing them. It was meant to be a threat.

**-o-**

Sakura groaned audibly as consciousness started to tickle and tease her senses. It was the throbbing headache that finally forced her into awareness. Slowly, she began to realize that she was slumped over Mizuki's shoulder like a sack of rice. She braced her hands against his back, and tried to lift herself up slightly, so she could see where they were going.

Without even glancing over at her, he warned Sakura coldly, "If you decide to struggle again, you'll get another couple knocks to the head."

She tried to move her arms and found that they had tied her wrists behind her back. So she attempted to maneuver her legs and discovered that they too were bound tightly.

"Stop wriggling around!" Mizuki complained and delivered a quick, sharp slap on her rear.

A hot blush suffused her face. Did he just have the audacity to spank her?

Green eyes narrowed dangerously. If he thought she was just going to stay quiet like a good, little obedient captive, he had another thing coming.

She stiffened when she heard an explosion roar from somewhere not too far behind them.

"Shit Mizuki! They're already coming after the girl. What do ya wanna do?" A brown haired shinobi, with a scar that ran a jagged trail up his cheek asked nervously. He jumped over from the right side to get closer, and leaped over onto the tree branch next to them, and started to travel alongside them.

"We don't have too much further to go Hiro. We'll just keep moving to the rendezvous point the boss gave us. Once we get there, there won't be anything they can do."

Hiro delivered a sharp nod before backing off to give Mizuki space, "All right."

Shutting her eyes, Sakura forced the fear that was trying to take hold of her heart and concentrate. If she could somehow slow her captors down, then it may give whoever was coming after them a chance to catch up.

She wondered if one of the people coming to save her was Itachi.

Her heart squeezed in the confines of her chest. She shook her head hard to clear her thoughts.

Concentrating on the task at hand, she started to whisper to the spirits around her. Immediately they began to respond to her, and the wind started to quickly pick up, and push against her captors. It worked to slow them down some.

Mizuki could hear the garbled nonsense coming from Sakura. The hair on his neck stood on end. Irritated, he snapped at her, "Quit that! I don't know how your doing it! But stop it now!"

Sakura grinned maliciously while summoning up a rather nasty static shock. She felt him falter mid leap when it went off. He hissed loudly, and elbowed her hard in the ribs.

She gasped, but still refused to give up. Sakura immediately connected with the spirits again and this time, she asked the fire spirits for assistance. Red fireballs began to form on all sides of the group, swirling together and growing to the size of peaches. The flames quickly surrounded the group of nin. The chakra spirits didn't hesitate, starting their assault. It sent the shinobi into an almost frenzied panic. How was someone supposed to fight chakra?

"Calm the fuck down!" Mizuki ordered, while side-jumping a fire spirit that had gone diving for him, "Kaishi, use your water jutsu goddammit! Use your fucking brains numbnuts!"

Sakura chuckled hoarsely to herself with a lopsided smile, "Yes Kaishi, use your water jutsu."

When the young shinobi, went to make the usual hand signals, Sakura had already began to speak with the water spirits that were beginning to respond to the nin's chakra infused command.

Kaishi choked back a strangled cry, when the sphere of water that had started to form, started to attack him instead of doing what he'd always known it to do. The cool liquid splashed him in the face, wetting his brown hair, almost causing him to fall backwards. He glared at Mizuki, "She's a goddamn witch! The boss didn't tell warn us that she could even screw with our jutsus! That was a clan technique that I've been doing since I've been like fucking nine years old!"

Mizuki called a quick halt. He shrugged the wriggling female off of his shoulder and before Sakura knew what was going on, she was being slammed roughly against a tree trunk. Stars danced in front of her eyes, and when she looked down, she realized that they were at least a good twenty feet up in the air. She sucked in her breath sharply.

The white haired nin hissed in her face, coming practically nose to nose with her, "I told you to behave! Or else..."

He brought his right hand up, and slapped her hard across the face in a blow that rocked her hard to the side. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard for good measure.

Sakura straightened and responded by spitting bloody spittle right in his face. She smirked at the enraged look that contorted his visage into a mask of rage. He wiped the spit trailing down his cheek with the back of his hand. Even with blood trickling down her chin from her cracked lips, she laughed in his face, "And you thought I would obey? You're even stupider than I first thought."

It wasn't that she actually wanted to make him so angry, he'd get even more violent with her, but every second they stood still was a moment that whoever was behind them could have a chance to catch up.

"You're fucking lucky that I'm not allowed to kill you bitch!" Mizuki was starting to get really pissed off by her smart ass comments.

The knowing malicious smile the curved her lips only made him all that much angrier.

Mizuki tore the skull cap off of the top of his hair, and made a quick makeshift gag. He shoved the sweaty material in her mouth, grinning when she could only glare angrily up at him. He sneered, "I find the silence..." He paused and chuckled grimly at her expense before finishing, "refreshing."

Fisting the material of her shirt, he lifted her up and tossed her none too gently over his shoulder, the action reminding her that she was bruised and bleeding. He called the order to move out.

Again they were on the move, and Sakura mentally sighed. Her body ached, and she could feel her cheek already starting to swell from where Mizuki had hit her. She watched the green canopy blur past her, as they picked up speed. Sakura grimaced at the salty taste in her mouth from the dirty bastard's sweat. She almost wanted to puke.

Her brain tried to form a new plan. However, she was starting to get exhausted and at this point, she couldn't really speak to the elemental spirits. She knew that she could still connect with them if she needed to. But, she didn't want to waste her chakra to do it. She had no idea what this boss person would be like and she didn't want end up out of chakra and unable to defend herself.

They traveled in silence for a little while longer. Her eyes started to shut involuntarily, and sleep started to take hold of her senses. She shook her head to rid herself of the feeling. The shinobi suddenly started to veer hard westward, and the change of pace helped to push aside her sleepiness for the time being.

A gasp left her when suddenly, a strange sensation encompassed every nerve of her body and passed over her just as quickly. She struggled almost violently to get a good look around when the usual voices that whispered against the lobes of her ears, had suddenly grown silent. The air around her almost felt dead. It was unnaturally silent. Not even the birds sang here.

Her green eyes flit from side to side wildly, when she realized that the landscape around her had changed completely. They were no longer traveling through the tops of trees, but instead flat grasslands. The amber strands of vegetation, were tall enough to wisp against her chin.

The trees off in the distance, were towering sentinels that bespoke of old age. For some odd reason, that made her think of Hana. She wished the cat were around so she could ask her what to do.

Her captor suddenly stopped, and before Sakura had time to mentally assimilate what was happening, she was tossed roughly to the ground. Her hip hit the dirt hard and she rolled.

When she looked up to give the shinobi a piece of her mind, she realized that he wasn't even looking at her. The entire group of nin, were looking past her.

Swallowing hard, her wide-eyed gaze followed the trail of her captors and landed on the one that was inevitably their 'boss.'

The shinobi had brought her to what looked to some sort of small, makeshift cabin. The male that stood there looking down his nose at her, stood on the dark oak porch. He was tall, she surmised dumbly. At the very least, he stood at a good head taller than her husband.

Her eyes trailed over his form, her irises drawn to him, the avid curiosity in her face quite evident to his amusement. His vermilion hair was left loose, to flow down to mid back. His skin was completely devoid of freckles, which was unusual for people of his coloring. Crimson eyes that had been almost lazily perusing over her, had snapped back up to meet her vivid green orbs that were full of trepidation.

The smile that curved his mouth was anything but friendly.

Sakura took dire note of the elegant sword that hung from his hip. He stepped off of the porch and knelt down next to her, to get a better look at her.

Instinctively, she tried to sidle away from him, which only served to amuse the intimidating male.

He grasped her chin with his fingertips, and forced her to look up into his relentless gaze.

A very animalistic, harsh growl left the new stranger's throat. He pinned the Mitsuki with a glare that had all the nin stepping back nervously, "I see that you weren't gentle. I believe I did request that you not _damage _her."

"I'm sorry boss, but she struggled the entire way. We had to or..."

The male holding her chin, released his grip on her and stood up in a maneuver of such of graceful elegance, that it nearly made Itachi's typically fluid movements look clumsy in comparison. Also, Sakura had never seen anyone exude such authority in all of her days. It was so naturally apart of the male before her, that she was almost in awe of him. She couldn't stop staring at the stranger's handsome face. The broad set of his shoulders, and the way he held his stance exuded complete control and command.

"Get out of my sight," the mysterious man didn't even bother to raise his voice beyond that of a normal conversational level. No, the entire time, his tone was calm and collected. However there was a ruthless current in it, that made Sakura shiver in trepidation. For the first time in a long while, Sakura was actually too afraid to even think straight.

The shinobi immediately complied, and disappeared before they had to deal with their boss' wrath.

Her heart started to pound when she realized that they had left her all alone with this strange looking male. Sakura couldn't believe that she wanted those assholes to actually come back. She was tied up and helpless in the sights of who was obviously a very powerful enemy.

Just when she didn't think her heart could beat any harder, the male smiled another icy grin down at her. He quipped lightly, "Other than that pink hair of yours, you look exactly like your mother."

-o-

**A/N: o.O! *cackles in maniacal glee* I haven't done a decent cliffhanger in quite a while. It's somehow refreshing.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **Hi again! Bet you didn't expect the quick update. (I didn't myself) I did a one time read through. I'm sure it's riddled with grammar errors. I apologize, but I'll fix it all later. I'm on a roll people. For the sake of furthering the plot, I ask your forgiveness.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. Did I mention I like cake?

**Chapter 17**

Sakura shut her eyes tightly and averted her face, when the imposing male knelt down and reached towards her.

She didn't expect for him to take the gag gently out of her mouth. Eyelashes fluttered, as she took another quick peek at him. That was when she noticed his clawed fingertips. He reached around her, and with a flick of the sharp appendages, he cut away the rope that bound her wrists, and finally the one around her legs.

Sakura's lower lip trembled, "Why?"

He smirked down at her, "It's not like you can get away from me little one. I'm sure you've already noticed that you are in a place, that you can't even hear the spirits."

She bristled at the title of little one. Sakura tried to stand, but the pins and needles sensation had her faltering, and falling back down. She thought about what he'd just said, and was a bit taken aback that he knew, and yet somehow she wasn't all that surprised either.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" An unknown male voice interrupted their small interlude. The tenor was as smooth and rich as melting chocolate.

Sakura's eyes lifted to see yet another strange man, who had just come from around the side of the house. He was surveying her with sharp amber eyes. Instead of having the vivid red tresses like the male standing over her, his hair was was a dark, honey blond. It was tied back into a ponytail. The tip lay over the man's broad shoulders, spilling out over the front of his saffron colored tunic.

He too, like her captor had sharp claws on the tips of his fingers. When she noticed a pair of fangs curling over the top of his bottom lip, she blinked thrice.

The male came to stand beside the redhead, before bending down, and getting a good look at her.

He made a face before announcing irritably, "You need to put a muzzle on your dogs, Kyuubi."

Shocked at what the blond just announced, she asked faintly, "Kyuubi? You're Kyuubi, as in the Bijuu Kyuubi-sama?"

An arrogant smile slashed the male's lips in response.

Sakura shook her head in disbelief, "No no, that's completely impossible."

The blond male next to her chuckled darkly. "She's in denial." He straightened and glanced at the Kyuubi, his golden eyes darkening with anger, "Next time you decide to make a move, you are to tell me. I don't like the idea of those idiots botching up like they did last time. If not for this little one, we would have lost our chance at everything."

The Kyuubi arched a regal brow in askance, letting the other male's anger roll off him. He tilted his head to the side, "Is that so Shukaku? I'm out for nothing but..." He paused when he noticed the shaman's wide eyes on his face. He noticed that she was getting more and more frightened by the moment.

Sakura tried to control her chaotic thoughts that were threatening to drive her insane. Kyuubi? Shukaku? There was no way that these men could be the Bijuu! It was impossible. The Bijuu were supposed to be guarding the gate. And weren't they supposed to get along with the shamans? Not kidnap them!

"I believe she's about to hyperventilate," Shukaku remarked in an off-handed manner.

"Why would you bother to care? Especially after what her people did to our..."

Sakura interrupted the one who called himself Kyuubi, "Why did you have me taken from my home? What did my people do? Are you really the..." With each question asked, the young woman felt more and more lightheaded with the possibility of it all. And what did Shukaku mean about, the idiots messing up like they did last time. Her heart didn't want to contemplate what that could mean. How did this man know what her mother looked like? She knew that the answer could shatter her.

It was all too much for her. Sakura finally gave in and fainted.

Shukaku sent Kyuubi an amused look, "You really do have the most adverse effect on women, ya damn fox."

Kyuubi didn't respond to the taunt from the tanuki, instead he bent down to pick up the small, unconscious female. Tucking her gently into his arms, he glanced at Shukaku. The Kyuubi allowed the rift he created to melt away as if it had never been. The pair of Bijuu quickly disappeared expertly into the shadows of the forest.

**-o-**

"Her scent fades away right here," the pug leaped and pointed at the spot with a paw. He shook his head, completely perplexed by the situation, "And not to mention that all the other human scents seem to just vanish beyond this point as well."

The four males were at a complete loss at what to do.

Shikamaru contemplated the situation at every angle he could possibly think of. He strode towards the pug, his hand gripping his chin, "What do you mean vanish?" Something about the dog's words tickled something at the back of his mind. Of what though, he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"I mean what I just said. Hell, it's almost like they just decided to fly, or they disappeared off the face of the earth," Pakkun snapped back, irritated by the whole thing in general. Kakashi had woken him up from his nap for this.

"I'm going to go on back to Konoha," Shikamaru quickly added when both of the Uchiha siblings sent him a questioning look, "There's something about all of this, that I've heard before." He decided that the best course of action at this point would be for him to ask Kiba, who was another tracker nin. A second opinion was better than nothing at all.

After Shikamaru left, Kakashi announced coolly, "Let's double back, and retrace it again. Maybe they split up somewhere we didn't catch the first time."

Pakkun sent him a look that told him exactly what he thought of that idea.

Kakashi knew that he was going to owe the nin dog, a couple boxes of dog biscuits at the very least.

Sasuke and Itachi both nodded, and followed the copy nin back down the trail another two miles, and then they tried again. Everyone hoped that Pakkun would pick up on something he hadn't the first time.

When they arrived at a dead end again, Sasuke spoke up, "It's no use at this point. We probably should head back and report this to the Hokage, and see what he believes would be the best course of action."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. Itachi didn't respond, he just looked out into the beyond.

Sasuke reached forward and tugged on his sibling's sleeve. Itachi looked down at him, but didn't say anything.

The younger Uchiha sibling said, "It's not like we're going to give up. We need to go back and regroup. It's better if we look at the entire situation through a fresh pair of eyes."

A tiny smile started at the corner of Itachi's mouth. It was ironic that his younger brother was giving him advice, that he himself had given others in the past. Almost word for word.

Finally the trio of shinobi, along with Kakashi's nin dog, turned around and returned to the village. The dog decided for the sake of his nap, he wouldn't mention the metallic scent of blood he came across during this whole escapade. It wasn't that he didn't care, it was just that he knew that this all had become fruitless once he could no longer track the trail. He was also aware that if he said anything about it, the damn humans would run him ragged. It was possible that it wasn't the girl's anyways

**-o-**

Shukaku released a slow breath, a trailing puff of smoke exiting his lips. His nimble fingers held a cigarette suspended midair, as he surveyed the unconscious female spread out on the leather sofa. An amused grin curved his lips when the slender woman, cuddled up next to the Kyuubi like a kitten searching for warmth.

"I think she's attached to you already," the tanuki taunted the kitsune.

Kyuubi glanced down at her sleeping face, and then glanced back at the raccoon, more than just a little amused by the female's antics. He smirked roguishly, but didn't deign to answer.

"So - what do you plan doing with her now that you've taken her?" Shukaku pressed, before taking another drag of the cigarette.

"What else? To draw out a certain little trouble maker. She'll come out, now that we have her little shaman. Just give it a few days, and you'll see for yourself..." Kyuubi responded with a cold smile, while reaching over to put out his own cigarette.

"You plan on luring her to us?" Shukaku arched an inquisitive brow at the kitsune.

Kyuubi laughed hard at that, unconsciously jostling his captive. He shook his head still chuckling darkly, "You know that's not my style."

Shukaku was about to respond to that, when he noticed the human was starting to wake up.

Sakura awoke with a feeling of trepidation, that flit through her, as if trying to warn her of something. She ruthlessly shoved down her sixth sense, to deal with at another time. Her fingers curled reflexively into the muscular leg that had somehow become her makeshift pillow. She blinked around blearily, feeling sore and painful. Her nostrils flared at the spicy scent that was assailing her nose. She couldn't hold back the sneeze that followed.

"The kitten's awake," Shukaku commented noncommittally. He imagined her in a little pink collar, and smirked at the mental imagery.

The somewhat familiar voice, tugged her out of her groggy state of mind.

Green eyes snapped open, and she was suddenly wide awake. She mentally kicked herself for not listening to the warning. Sitting straight up, her mouth went dry when she realized that she was sitting next to the self-proclaimed Kyuubi.

She sucked in a calming breath, and forced herself to look around the room and away from his knowing burning crimson eyes. The interior screamed money to her. From the leather couch, to the intricate patterned rugs with lovely floral designs, to even the intricate crystal chandelier lights that hung suspended from the milky white ceiling.

Sakura fixed her gaze on the supposed Bijuu. Finally she gathered the courage to ask him, "Say you are, who you say you are..."

She paused when Kyuubi continued to regard her silently.

Finally she continued, "Why me? I mean, I don't get it." Itachi had warned her one of the other clans in Konoha might kidnap her to force him out of the running for Hokage. But Sakura knew that these men, or whatever they were, weren't involved in any of that.

Kyuubi's dark chuckle gave her goosebumps. He smirked, "Why indeed?" He turned his gaze to the tanuki, "I think that's the funniest thing I've heard in a century or two."

Her hands curled into fists, her temper got the better of her, "Stop that already!"

Crimson orbs settled on her face. The amusement in his eyes faded leaving no trace of warmth, "I don't think you're in any position to demand anything."

"Ugh!" Sakura rolled her eyes, startling both of them. She crossed her arms, "I'm sick to death of people threatening me." She turned and poked the male in the chest, ignoring the way his gaze narrowed on hers. She knew she should be afraid when his pupils became animalistic slits. But she didn't care at that particular moment, even though something in that back of her mind was screaming at her that she should. She ignored the way Shukaku snickered at her antics. She bit out, "Look, I'm not trying to demand anything. All I'm asking you, is to answer a simple question."

"Why should I bother? You refuse to believe me anyway." He grabbed her offending digit and pushed it away. He added, with a smirk that made her want to throttle him, "Not that, that is any of _my_ concern."

Shukaku's face contorted into a thoughtful expression. He leaned over to stub out his cigarette, and pinned the fox with a look that spoke volumes. He finally said, "I think you should tell her."

Kyuubi openly glared at Shukaku, his red eyes starting to glow with an eerie sheen, that didn't faze the tanuki one bit.

When the Shukaku continued to meet his gaze head on, Kyuubi rose to his feet only to stalk angrily towards the exit. He opened the door, his claws grinding hard into the metal knob. He glanced back over his shoulder at the raccoon, "You can do whatever you like damn well like. I for one, want as little to do with her kind, as possible."

The Shukaku winced slightly when Kyuubi slammed the door sharply.

Golden eyebrows winged down into a sharp v, when he heard soft laughter coming from the female on the couch. He sighed, and ran an agitated hand through his hair. He finally inquired unable to help himself, "Care to share what you find so funny..." He failed to see anything amusing about the current situation. The woman being the captive that she was, should probably be crying instead.

"It's so ironic," Sakura wiped the moisture out of her eyes, with the back of her hand, "He sounds a lot like I used to."

"How so?" Shukaku hated to admit, that he actually wanted to hear her answer.

"I used to say the same thing about the shinobi that has just recently moved into my village," Sakura hugged herself with her arms, as if she were cold, "I even married one of them, which is even more ironic."

Shukaku's lips curved into a smirk at that small nugget of information, "That it is." He agreed cheerfully.

"Why does he hate me so much?" Sakura didn't care about the fact, rather as to why. There was something rather malicious about the Kyuubi's behavior that set her on edge. In all her years, she would never have imagined the Bijuu to be such men.

"Before I actually try to explain anything to you, I want to first ask you a question."

Sakura tilted her head to the side curiously, green eyes wide with anticipation. The action reminded the Bijuu vaguely of a parrot being offered a cracker.

"What do you believe the Bijuu to be?" He inquired smoothly, and then leaned back against the chair, waiting for her response.

"I've never given it much thought actually. The Bijuu from the old tales, were supposed to be the protectors of the Guardian's," Sakura shrugged, not quite knowing what to believe anymore, "I'd always imagined them being something like their knights."

"Well that's partially correct, though we no longer commit ourselves to them. I'm sure you have heard the old tales, that your kind refer to either as the metal flesh, or demons..."

Sakura slowly nodded her head, moving to the edge of the sofa. She wondered absently if she could actually accept anything that came out of his mouth. Or rather, if she should.

"Well there you have it my dear. We are one in the same."

Sakura nearly fell over. She gaped openly at him, "Y-you mean that you are..." her mind reeled at that little snippet of information, "that – that the Bijuu are actually the demons from the lore."

A vicious grin curved his lips, his fangs flashing, "You've got it kitten. We are one and the same."

Sakura thought back to all that Kyuubi had alluded to. She pressed a finger to her lips, "No wonder Kyuubi hates shamans. We fought against each other in the war – but then that would mean that..." She paused trailing off, realizing what it would mean for her, should she accept all this as truth, "that the shinobi and shaman would have fought each other, not for power that I was told they were, but – but because..." That also meant the two wars never occurred. It had only been one with each side defending what they believed in. To accept all this as truth, would mean that she would have to rethink everything she knew about her heritage.

"Because the Guardians and the Bijuu, or those of metal flesh; whatever you prefer, were at war."

Sakura felt as if the inside of her head was about to explode with all this information. She pressed her fingertips to her temples and let out a soft sigh. She shook her head unable to accept what he was telling her, "I don't want to believe it. I can't believe it."

"Why is that?"

"Because that means that, almost everyone that's been important in my life has lied to me," She cradled her head in her hands. She then lifted her chin, and pinned him with a look that made Shukaku feel a little uneasy, "What happened to my parents? Was it one of you, who killed them? Were my parents part of that little botched mission you talked about earlier?"

There was an edge of hysteria in her gaze, that was starting to alarm Shukaku. He could see the telltale signs of her orbs bleeding into pure green, blotting out the whites of her eyes.

"No kitten. But I was present when they were killed, but it wasn't done by the hands of any Bijuu," Shukaku admitted truthfully. He looked away, unable to meet the pained eyes glaring at him head on, "You may feel we are just as guilty as the murderers, because we watched it happen and did nothing to stop it."

Sakura stood to her feet, and strode over to the Shukaku, with no fear in her gaze, and surprisingly no anger. Only intense emotional pain. She trembled with barely suppressed emotion, "So why am I here? What do you all want from me?"

The tanuki cleared his throat, contemplating his options. He knew that Kyuubi may try to kick his ass for doing this, but he felt that letting this little girl go, would be the best for them all. It would probably serve their purpose far better than what the Kyuubi had originally planned anyway. Especially with her in this state of mind. He was mentally kicking himself for being so upfront with her.

"Absolutely nothing," Shukaku propped the back of his head with his hands, eyeing her thoughtfully, "that I believe you can give us. I've probably told you far too much for your own good. You would have rather lived on in blissful ignorance."

Sakura turned her face away from him. She wasn't able to deny the accusation, "You're probably right, Shukaku. I just don't know what to think anymore. For all I know, you could very well be lying to me to manipulate me into doing whatever it is that you really want."

"But you do believe that I am Shukaku," the all knowing, feral grin that curled his lips made something inside of her want to throttle him, "And that the damn fox you just met is Kyuubi."

"There are very few individuals who can go to a realm of in between. I still don't want to believe it, but my instincts tell me what the truth is. Chalk it down to the whole shaman thing," Sakura placed her hands on her hips, still maintaining her glare.

Shukaku chuckled at her dour attempt at sarcasm. He eyed her curiously, "You've already made a bond with the Guardians haven't you?"

The swirling malachite in her eyes calmed and slowly ebbed away, leaving the hue of her orbs normal. At this point, she didn't see the point of being dishonest. She nodded, "Yes. I did."

"I suppose that makes us natural enemies."

"I don't have a damn clue anymore about what really happened in the war, or even why it occurred. But I don't really care either, to tell you the truth. You may consider me an enemy, but – I refuse to get myself caught up in whatever cycle of hate, you all are trapped in," Sakura forced the tidal wave of emotion inside her to calm. She really did want to disbelieve everything he'd just told her. Nearly every fiber of her being demanded that she do so.

However, the young woman had always been a rather realistic individual who followed her gut instincts, and she knew that at least part of everything he had told her was true. The part about the Bijuu being the ones her people had called 'metal flesh' at the very least.

He probably had every reason to lie to her. But he wasn't. She was clueless as to why, but she had the feeling it really wasn't all that good for her.

"So are you ready to go home?" Shukaku picked up the pack of cigarettes next to him on the coffee table and pulled out a fresh one and lit it, "I'll tell you how to get home safely kitten."

"Now you're lying to me for sure," Sakura rolled her eyes heavenward, scoffing at him openly.

"Am I kitten?" He placed the cigarette in his mouth and sucked in a deep, slow drag. He shrugged, "What would it hurt to take the chance in trusting me?"

She mumbled to herself, "Far more than you'll ever know..."

He caught it, but he pretended he didn't hear. Shukaku sighed, "Look kitten, the Kyuubi is busy having a nice little tantrum. While he's busy, I'll pretend I didn't see you sneak out of the window. You'll notice once you get outside, there's three bushes lined up rather neatly between two oak trees. Go around the tree on your left. You'll find yourself much closer to home that you could have ever hoped for."

"Why would you do this for me?" Sakura knew that he wasn't doing it out of the goodness of heart, that was for sure.

But she did know that being the Lord of Wind, that Shukaku would have a very capricious nature. The thought gave her very little comfort, truth be told.

"I'm going to look away now. Should you so choose to take the chance, I didn't see a damn thing," to show that he meant business, he turned around in his seat and pointed his golden gaze in the opposite direction.

"I really don't believe that you are doing this out of any sort of kindness Lord Shukaku," Sakura added his title respectfully, "But thanks, for whatever it's worth anyway."

She strode over to the window with purpose and unlatched the top. Just as she had her leg propped over the side, she halted for a moment when Shukaku responded in a soft, almost gentle voice, "You're welcome kitten."

The moment she hit the ground outside, she immediately noticed that she they had taken her to another space of in between. She could tell by the lack of any elemental spirits. It was just like the one she'd been in the first time. However, she could visually tell that this one was different than the last one.

Instead of the amber waves, the grass here was blissfully emerald green, and the wildflowers gave off a heavenly sweet scent, that made her think of the cotton candy that she'd once tasted at a traveling fair that passed through Ixion when she was a small child.

Her eyes quickly zeroed in on the two trees, with the bushes in between the middle of them, that Shukaku had mentioned. Actually, it stood out against the rest of the scenery like a sore thumb.

Despite her limbs aching, and bruised by the rough treatment of her kidnappers, the young woman sprinted for freedom. Sure, she had no idea where it would take her. But, she was too free spirited not to take any chance she could. Not to mention it had practically been given to her on a silver platter.

With each pounding footstep, her heart cried for the new knowledge that had just been laid at her feet. It was as if her entire soul was yelling at her, to ignore everything that had just been said. To pretend that she'd never heard it, in the first place.

For the time being, she forced it all into the back of her mind. There would be a time and a place for all that later. Sakura was starting to believe however, that the darkness encroaching over the land, was not at all what the Guardian's had first thought it to be.

Instead, the shadows threatened her heart, and right down to her very existence. She knew that this wouldn't be the last time, she'd see the Bijuu. The thought was unsettling, but it wasn't enough to stop her from trying to find her way back to Konoha.

The young woman maneuvered around the tree, and she shut her eyes as that familiar feeling of stepping back into the natural realm washed over her.

When she opened her eyes, she gasped. Shukaku hadn't lied when he said, she'd be close to home. The gates of Konoha stood in front of her. But that wasn't what made her heart ache. At the gate, several shinobi stood, dressed in their black regalia, and their weapons ready to go. She also realized that she must have actually been gone all night. Out over the horizon, the sun was starting to rise. The brilliant hues of vermilion and orange streaked vividly across the expanse of the sky.

The dew on the vegetation around her, dripped and pooled in the basin of the late summer leaves.

Her gaze honed in almost immediately on Itachi, who was standing amongst them all.

Almost as if sensing her eyes on him, he lifted his head and turned to look at her.

Tears blurred her eyes, and all the swirling chaotic thoughts that tugged at the edge of her mind, didn't matter in that moment.

She was home. But home wasn't what she'd always thought it was. It wasn't the shrine, or even former Ixion. Itachi looked stunned at the sight of her for several, heartrending moments. It was as if he believed that she was an illusion. His hesitation didn't last long. He came running straight for her.

The group of shinobi turned to see what the commotion was.

Shikamaru's mouth unhinged in shock, along with Sasuke's and a few other nin.

Itachi gripped her up in his arms, uncaring that they had an audience.

Leaning her cheek against his chest, she couldn't help the tears that streamed down her cheeks. This was where home was.

"I'm sorry I know I'm a mess..."

Itachi cut her off, smothering her words back with his lips. He kissed her so thoroughly, she began to feel lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. It was a kiss full of many different emotions. It was of passion and comfort. For Sakura it was also safety and home.

She pulled her lips from his and kissed his cheek. He lifted her in his arms, and turned back towards Konoha.

Sasuke came running forward, with Naruto not too far behind him.

The younger Uchiha sibling, smirked down at her, "I see you made it back by yourself, sister in law."

A pained chuckle left her, "Of course brother in law. Did you think that I wanted to wait around for your sorry asses to rescue me?"

"Oy Sakura. They woke me up at five in the morning for this rescue mission!" Naruto whined playfully, and then winked at her.

She smiled at the blond, "Sorry about that Naruto. We'll have to have a ramen date later. I'll pick up the tab okay."

Above her Itachi cleared his throat. She reached up and touched her husband's cheek tenderly, "You can come too, of course."

A masculine smirk curved his lips. Her hand fell back to rest on her stomach.

Leaning her head against his bicep, she murmured softly, "You're taking me to the hospital, aren't you?"

"Aa."

She shut her eyes, breathing in his rainwater scent and reveled in it.

"That's good. I think I need it," she admitted weakly.

Itachi exchanged a look with Sasuke and Naruto. They both nodded, and turned to disperse the team, now that the target had been located. Well, rather she had found them. But either way it didn't matter. She had made it back and in one piece.

"Itachi," Sakura said his name, the emotion behind it had his gaze coming back down to rest on her face.

He responded softly, "Yes, Sakura?"

"Thank you."

Bemused by her sudden gratitude. He couldn't help himself. He asked the obvious, "What for?"

"You were actually getting ready to search for me weren't you?"

He frowned at what he considered to be a ridiculous question, "Of course."

"I know it sounds silly, but –" she yawned, displaying her little white teeth as she did so. She continued in a hoarse whisper, "I really do appreciate it." To her, it meant that someone had actually cared. It also cemented that, Itachi cared about her, at least on some level.

Itachi couldn't hold it back. He smiled. He demanded, only half serious, "Just don't let something like that happen ever again." His obsidian orbs traveled the length of her bruised cheek, and cracked lip. If he ever got his hands on whoever did that to her, he would give them a slow and painful death.

"I'll make sure to let the bad guys know that I'm not allowed to go with them next time. I promise." She was mentally and physically exhausted from the whole ordeal. She had so much to ask Hana. Shukaku's words rolled round and round in her brain, never-ending, and none stop. She didn't want to think any more. And with that thought in mind, she allowed sleep to tuck her into its comforting folds, while knowing that when she woke up this time. She would be home.

**-o-**

**A/N: **Not as long, but I had to roll with my inspiration. I hope you all enjoyed it. I know it creates more questions than answers, doesn't it? Until next time.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 18**

That morning, the sun rose and reflected bright rays off the cliff sides that over-looked Konoha. Itachi gazed at the sentinel that would forever watch over this city that the Alliance had worked so hard to make home.

The sight of the imposing pillars of rock and grit strengthened his resolve to do, and to voice the words that seemed to be forever poised on his tongue. Turning his gaze away, he looked at the building where he would step up and take his life by the reins. His eyes flickered to the side, when the door of the house opened and his father and mother stepped out. Even their lifelong shinobi training couldn't completely veil the burning curiosity in their eyes.

It was all he could do, to hold back the smirk that wanted to surface.

**-o-**

When Sakura opened her eyes, she was met with pea soup green walls and the astringent scent of the hospital. She glanced down at the sickly blue hospital gown that someone had put her in, and grinned like a maniac. It hadn't been a dream after all. She had made it home in one piece. Her joyful smile faded slightly when she remember the conversation with Shukaku. The urge to go out and find Hana, and force the truth out of her, was very strong.

Gingerly, she ran her fingertips over the side of her cheek, where that Mizuki bastard had slapped her. She was pleasantly surprised when it didn't hurt. The young woman turned her head, to look out the window. After staring at the sunshine streaming in through the glass for several minutes, she decided that she wanted to open the window, so she could get fresh air in the room. The antiseptic smell, the scent that came with hospitals in general, was a bit too strong for her liking.

She was in the middle of trying to climb out of the hospital bed when the door opened, forcing Sakura to a stop midway; with one foot on the ground, and one leg still halfway on the bed. A female doctor bustled in, the long white lab coat swirling as she shut the door.

Sakura quickly clambered back onto the bed in a rather clumsy fashion, but didn't bother to climb back under the covers.

The doctor bustled over to the bed, her dark brown eyes scanning Sakura from head to toe. The shaman could feel the other woman's chakra tickle through the inside of her body. She refrained from shoving the chakra out, like she had when Tsunade had used it to heal her.

Sakura couldn't get a good look at the woman's name badge, since it was blocked by the presence of the clipboard. She asked softly, the direct query startling the doctor, "So what's your name? I haven't seen you around before."

The doctor's face was blank for a moment, unused to a patient striking up a personal conversation with her. Dark eyes settled on Sakura's face, "Shizune."

Sakura's lips twisted into a small, amused smile, "I would tell you my name, but you probably already know it."

Shizune ran a free hand through her shoulder length hair, and her serious expression finally melted into a smile of her own. Her eyebrow quirked, "I don't think there isn't anybody that hasn't heard of you Uchiha-sama."

"Just Sakura is fine," the young woman tried not to wince at the use of her married name. It wasn't that she disliked the name, but there was a small part of her pride that hurt at hearing it. She hadn't really wanted to give up her maiden name. It was the name her parents had given her. At the thought of her parents, her happy countenance faded and her lips pressed into a grim line.

Shizune sighed, not really pleased with the young woman's request. The Uchiha clan was a prestigious one, and to overlook protocol was frowned upon. But, after getting a good look at Sakura's gloomy expression, she decided to comply for the time being, "Okay Sakura. So then," the doctor flipped through several documents on the clipboard, her eyes scanning through the contents, "your injuries were minor, just some bruising and light abrasions on your face, legs, and wrists. You did take a blow to the head, but fortunately it didn't result in a concussion."

"When will I be released?" Sakura wanted to get to the heart of the matter.

"Tsunade-sama wants to keep you until tomorrow morning, so that you will be able to rest," Shizune responded immediately and then added softly, "There's a few people who would like to visit you. They've been waiting for you to wake up."

Sakura took the hint, and got back under the covers. She grimaced at the thought of people seeing her in the hospital gown that didn't really do much for a person's modesty.

Shizune gave Sakura one last look over and turned to the door, her strides full of purpose.

Before the woman shut the door behind her, Sakura called after her, "Thank you."

Shizune paused, at Sakura's voice. She looked back at the younger woman, and merely nodded in response before quietly shutting the door behind her.

It wasn't five minutes before her 'visitors' came bustling into the room. Her mouth quirked, when the first head through the door, was a blond one. Amusement sparkled in her eyes, when Sasuke came in right behind the rambunctious nin.

Naruto's infectious grin had her smiling. He quipped lightly, "You finally woke up."

"Wow, you two are giving up precious sparring time to visit little old me. I'm touched," Sakura flashed back, her mouth trembling with amusement.

Sasuke's dark eyes flit to her face, landing on the fading bruise. He smirked down at her, "You look like shit."

"Oh, so you don't think this a good color for me?" She snatched up the material of her hospital gown between her thumb and index finger, not in the least bit fazed by his comment.

He didn't respond, but his mouth quirked with the evidence of a smile wanting to surface.

Maybe she was starting to grow on her brother in law after all.

Sasuke's visage became a stoic mask. He lightly cleared his throat, "Itachi is on duty right now. He wanted me to tell you, that he'll try to visit you this evening."

The Uchiha noticed the way Sakura's features softened immediately at his brother's name. If he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't have believed it. It seemed almost strange that the bizarre young woman with a questionable heritage, was warming up to his brother. He could still vividly remember that sarcastic, abrasive attitude she had when they had first met.

Sakura reached over and tugged gently on Naruto's vibrant orange sleeve. He smiled down at her in askance, his blue eyes sparkling merrily, "Ne? What is it Sakura?"

"Would you mind cracking the window open for me? I'd do it myself but..." Sakura trailed off, her cheeks flushing tellingly. If she climbed out of the bed now, she'd be giving the two males an eye full.

Wordlessly the blond quickly complied. Striding around the bed, he pulled the beige curtains aside to let a little sunshine. He opened the window halfway and asked, "Is this all right?"

"Yes, thank you," Sakura turned slightly to prop her pillow up. She settled against it comfortably, and shut her eyes. A breeze filtered into the room, and she breathed in the sweet fresh earthy scent from outside.

She cracked an eye open, and peered thoughtfully at the boys. The shaman inquired curiously, "Ahh, is it cloudy outside? It seems we're about due for a little summer rain."

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a thoughtful glance.

Sasuke shoved his hands deep into his pockets, feeling a little awkward by the odd query. He cleared his throat again, drawing her verdant gaze to his face. Looking away, he announced coolly, "Well, we've got to get going. Sai is waiting for us."

"See you around," Naruto lifted his hand slightly, a grin curving his lips.

"Thanks for visiting guys. It was nice to see you both," Sakura said wholeheartedly, and then added with a wry grin, "Good luck."

With one last wave from Naruto, they left just as quickly as they came.

Turning her head to the side, she gazed at the window. The dim light filtering through, cemented her suspicions about the rain on its way. The breeze that managed to make it into the room, brought in the telltale scent that always came with impending rainfall.

It wasn't long until her next set of visitors arrived. She was a bit taken aback by the trio that came through the door next.

"Good afternoon, lotus flower," Lee gushed, trotting to her bedside. He held out an orange and yellow speckled Lilly and handed it to her.

She wrapped her fingers around the stem gently and smiled up at him, "Thanks Lee."

Tenten strode over, halting next to Rock Lee and grinned. She arched a brow at Sakura, "You had everyone up in a tizzy." She smirked playfully, "I think Lee offered to accompany the search party, at least five times."

Rock Lee's grin widened, "Ah, my teammate is only nearly correct." He winked down at Sakura, "I volunteered no less than seven times."

Imagining the enthusiastic nin, doing dynamic poses while asking Itachi to be on the search squad at the same time over and over again, made her chuckle. She could already see the frown that had probably nearly cracked that stony, infamous stoic mask of his. She was also touched that someone who really didn't know her all that well, would care so much.

Neji's serious expression almost faltered when he saw the warm grin that lit Sakura's expressive green eyes. He'd only witnessed sarcasm and rudeness from the woman. The change in demeanor was almost like night and day.

Sakura was completely unaware of Neji's intense perusal. Her gaze flit back and forth between Tenten and Lee. She expressed her gratitude, "That you would go so far, for someone you hardly know." The thought alone, humbled her. She hadn't been exactly nice to him in the past. Her eyes softened, "Thank you."

"It's all in the power of youth!" Lee responded with a large grin that rivaled Naruto's. He winked at her. Her mouth quirked. She couldn't help but be amused by his enthusiasm.

Sakura finally glanced back at Neji. He was leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his chest. His hooded gaze met hers. She could see the guarded way he studied her. Itachi had used to look at her like that, whenever they'd first been together, she thought privately.

She smiled kindly at the aloof male, "Your teammates must have coerced you into coming along."

His mouth worked, as he seemed to consider a proper response.

Sakura didn't allow him time to form an answer. She looked down at the delicate and beautiful flower still in her hand, "Thanks."

"It's time for us to report," Neji's usually smooth tenor, came out gruff.

"Well, I'll see you around Sakura. You be good now," Tenten stood and placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. She removed the soothing touch and strode over to Neji's side. She glanced back over her shoulder at Sakura, who looked so tiny and pale beneath the blankets of the hospital bed.

"See you later."

Lee's smile didn't dim one notch as he wished her farewell.

She watched them file out, and released a soft sigh. Her eyes were starting to droop with fatigue. She set the flower next to her on the small brown table near her bed. Sakura wondered absently what they had administered her to make her feel so tired.

She allowed her eyes to shut, and focused on the feeling of the fresh air caressing her face. She drifted back to sleep, giving her body the rest it desired.

Sakura woke, when a nurse came in with her dinner. The nurse placed it on the bedside stand, and rolled it over to sit next to the young woman's bed. She told Sakura, "Try to eat what you can. I'll be back to check on you." The nurse added when she noticed the pretty flower, "I'll try to see if I can't find you a vase for your flower."

Before Sakura could thank her, the nurse whisked out of the room.

Sitting up, she blinked blearily down at the food. The scent had her stomach growling, forcing her to realize that she hadn't eaten since before her capture.

Taking up the plastic fork, she groggily shoveled the bland assortment of chicken and rice into her mouth.

When she'd finished most of her food, she unwrapped the red straw that sat by her utensils and placed it in the apple juice container.

Drinking the contents slowly, she savored the sweet flavor. Just as she was setting the empty juice box back down next to her plate, there was a small rap mixed with a light scratching sound at the door.

Her mouth quirked when the first head that popped through was white and furry. Kiba and Shikamaru trailed in behind Akamaru.

She refrained from inquiring if dogs were actually allowed in the hospital. Sakura could only assume that ninken fell under a different category than a house pet.

Sakura was quick to notice that Shikamaru wouldn't quite meet her eyes. She quipped lightly, forgoing any greeting, "Don't worry about it. It was my fault..."

Kiba frowned, and glanced at Shikamaru trying to puzzle out what Sakura meant by that opening statement.

The inu nin shrugged it off and grinned down into her upturned face, "How are you keeping up?"

Sakura sighed softly, "Well enough, I suppose. They are going to release me in the morning." She paused and then added politely, "Thanks for even bothering to stop by, you two."

Shikamaru cleared his throat, "Choji would have tagged along with us, but he got called away for duty."

Her mouth quirked, when she noticed that Shikamaru was finally beginning to relax. The tense lines around his eyes, started to fade. She shook her head. Sakura said with feeling, "I'm just happy that you both even stopped by to see me." Honestly, she hadn't expected anyone other than maybe Itachi, to even bother.

Kiba startled her by reaching over to lightly ruffle her hair. He smirked down at her, "Of course we'd come by to see ya. Why wouldn't we?"

Akamaru yipped up at her, wedging himself between Kiba and her. His wet nose nuzzling her hand. She responded by running her fingers through his fur, and giving him a good scratch between the ears, causing him to whine in pleasure. She grinned at the canine, "Hey, I'm especially grateful that you came too Akamaru. I can only imagine what the smell of a hospital does to that sensitive nose of yours."

He woofed back at her. He seemed to smile at her, his tongue lolling. She knew he had just replied, but she'd be damned if she could understand him. When she drew her hand away, he licked it, and sat down with his tail wagging.

Shikamaru spoke again, drawing her attention away from the dog, "I don't think anyone can say they enjoy this acrid odor." His nostrils flared as if to show that he meant what he said.

"I've sort of gotten used to it. I end up needing medical care more often than I'd like to admit," Kiba confessed with a gruff chuckle, "That, and my older sister is a veterinarian. Her makeshift clinics always smell like this."

"Well, I'll make sure to visit you, if you end up in here again. How about that?" Sakura offered with a light laugh.

"Hey, that better not be a joke. I'm taking you up on that offer. I'll have you sneak me in something decent to eat, while you're at it. Choji tries, but the food never quite makes it here," Kiba replied, a toothy grin curving his lips.

Sakura was about to issue a response, when there was another knock at the door. Immediately her senses perked up when she recognized the chakra signature on the other side. Shikamaru and Kiba couldn't help but notice the way her body stilled, and her eyes glimmered with unreadable emotion.

The moment Itachi strode into the room, the other two shinobi grew serious. Nodding their heads respectfully towards the ANBU Captain, they excused themselves politely, to give the couple privacy.

Itachi reached for the chair that Tenten had used earlier, and dragged it closer to the side of the bed. He sat down, and he and Sakura studied each other for several long moments.

He broke the silence by clearing his throat. "How do you feel?"

"Much better. The doctor said I will be discharged in the morning," Sakura responded, a small smile curving her mouth.

"Very well," He paused, his dark eyes searching her face. He continued catching her gaze with his, "You will be taken in for questioning tomorrow."

Sakura grimaced at that announcement. She nibbled at her lower lip nervously, "I should have guessed as much." Now she knew why the doctors had decided to keep her until morning, even though she was physically fit to leave the hospital. It was to get the much needed rest that she wouldn't get, if she left that evening.

Itachi noticed the shadows in his wife's eyes. He spoke to draw her away from her thoughts, "They would have come to question you here, but I requested that they held off until you were discharged. At first the Hokage was hesitant, but he relented when I reminded him that Tsunade's permission to question one of her patients would be required otherwise."

Sakura chuckled when Itachi's mouth twisted into a smirk. He was proud of the fact that he had gotten around the Hokage, she realized with no small amount of amusement. So even Itachi had a bit of a mischievous side.

"Thanks. It seems that one of the doctors gave me something to make me sleep anyway." She was grateful for the warning, more than Itachi would ever know. She would have to decide what to tell them, and what she wanted to keep indefinitely to herself. Even if she wanted to tell them the whole turn of events, she was certain they wouldn't believe her. Heck, she had been the one dealing with the situation, and she hadn't wanted to accept the truth herself. If it was the truth, anyway.

Itachi immediately noticed Sakura's withdrawal. He watched her eyes glaze over, and her attention turned inward. Her switch in behavior stoked his curiosity, forcing him to wonder what had actually happened to her. Before he could formulate a question to ask her, her eyes refocused on his face.

Sakura small frame quivered when she released the breath she realized she was holding. Her lips curving into a wan smile, "I'm sorry. It's just been a little too much to take in."

More questions formed in Itachi's mind. He decided that, it all could wait until later. He leaned back and folded his hands together, settling the appendages at the edge of his knees. He went for simple distraction, "I have something, that I wish to tell you before I leave."

The unusual gleam in his obsidian orbs got Sakura's attention like nothing else could. She sat up straight in the bed at that, when she noticed the change in Itachi's expression. His face had grown serious, but it hadn't formed into the usual stoic and apathetic mask she was so accustomed to. He wasn't going to hide, whatever he was about to say. Her heart started to beat a little faster at this realization.

"I officially withdrew from the trials to become Hokage."

Sakura's eyes widened into large saucers. Now, out of all she'd expected that he might want to say, that wasn't it. She knew that he hadn't desired the position, but he hadn't wanted to cause strife within his clan either.

"What? How? When? Why?" One question after the other tumbled from her lips. She sucked in a breath and stabled her rapid chain of thoughts, "I mean I know why, at least I think I sort of do. But – but..." She faltered at the small, wan smile he gave her.

"When I realized that you hadn't come to the speech the Hokage came to give the Uchiha clan, I immediately searched for you. All thoughts of the event that was happening, left my mind completely. It became unimportant. When I returned to the village, after the first search for you failed. I realized that it wasn't right for me to continue with such a fruitless facade of running for Hokage. It was not only an insult to my pride as a shinobi, but also as a person."

The blunt admission made her jaw drop.

He continued on, as if he hadn't noticed her shock, "I have never believed that I was someone who was right for what the position of Hokage entails. It is not a question of my abilities, but of who I am. Though the well-being of the people of this village is important to me, I would rather serve, as I am now and not be one who must maintain the self-balance of a master and servant to the will of the people. It became even more apparent that it wasn't right for me to pretend that I desired the position anymore, when I chose to make your search a priority over all else."

Sakura's heart started to race when a true smile transformed his features, and she blushed at what his words could mean. There was a light in his eyes, that she'd never witnessed from him before. It was different then the glint of humor, that she sometimes caught a glimpse of. No, this was a radiant, obscured gleam of authentic happiness.

She turned her head away to hide the burgeoning pink in her cheeks. Her next words surprised him, "I'm very proud of you, Itachi. For what it's worth anyway..." She knew that how she felt about it, wasn't really all that important. Especially in this aspect of his life, but she would still tell him her feelings. She turned her face away to gaze at the still open window.

She watched the drab curtains, wave beneath the breeze blowing in. She continued in a soft voice, "It may surprise you, that I can understand what it must have took for you to stand up to your family, that way. To stand up for yourself, and accept that's just who you are," She knew that it was under far different circumstances, but she had done something similar herself. She had stood in front of the mirror and stared at herself as she truly was, and then had to face the Guardian's with her innermost weaknesses.

It was the brand of courage that put one through the refiner's fire.

Her green eyes shut at the memory. Sakura relived those moments in her mind even as she voiced her thoughts, "Really, you've already told me before that you wouldn't be chosen to begin with. You could have just waited it out, pretended to care when you weren't the one to receive the position. It's really something, to stand up for how you really felt, and not back down. I know clans, have their own set of rules about life, but I don't believe that anyone should have the right to tell someone what to do with such an important decision. I can only imagine the Uchiha elders' faces." She shook her head, imagining the verbal explosion that had probably taken place. She could vividly remember the first time that Itachi tried to deny the chance at the position outright, and how the elder Toshio Uchiha had reacted to it.

"They were certainly not pleased with my sudden announcement. I also told them that they could find themselves a more suitable heir if they felt that I was no longer _deserving _of such an esteemed position within the clan," Itachi could easily recall the anger and mortification, from not only the elders but his parents as well. His father hadn't known what to say to him. His father could not argue his decision outright with him either. What does one say to someone who announces, that they were completely unqualified to lead the village? In Itachi's opinion, it took someone that held not only a burning passion but a sound mind to lead an entire village. He held the latter, but he had never been one who held the desire to lead their people into the glorious future that the Alliance had always dreamed of.

"It's a relief when you realize that you've finally stopped running away from the truth. Isn't it?" Sakura's gaze returned to meet Itachi's eyes.

"I've never been called a coward, in such a round about way before." He responded coolly, trying his best to ignore the unusual intensity of her stare. It was as if, she was looking inside him. It made him feel uneasy.

"I don't believe it's cowardice," Sakura shook her head, disagreeing with him, "but something that's just very much apart of being human."

The corner of his lip quirked at that. Somewhat amused by her sage reply, he quipped back, "You sound like an old woman."

She agreed quickly, smiling along with him, "I do, don't I?"

"I admit however, that there is much truth in what you just said." Itachi returned lightly. Before she could add anything else, he reached into his pocket and pulled out her pendant. The very one that Hana had given her. Her eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Where did you get that?" Sakura was shocked to see Itachi holding out the cherished heirloom.

"You left it on the nightstand," Itachi leaned forward to hand it to her.

She held her palm, and he let it spill into into the proffered appendage. Sakura smiled when she felt the familiar weight resting there. She was glad she had forgotten to put it on, she wouldn't have known what to do if it had somehow gotten lost during her scuffle with the kidnappers yesterday. She voiced her gratitude, "Thanks."

When Sakura went to put it on, Itachi stood to his feet and reached over to assist her. She faltered momentarily and blushed because of his sudden nearness. However, instead of reacting, she grabbed her hair and held it up, so he could clasp it for her.

The fleeting sensation of his fingertips on the nape of her neck, caused goosebumps to prickle over her skin. She'd never realized that such a simple touch, could feel so good. She thanked him softly, when she felt the weight of the pendant settle against her chest.

Itachi took a couple steps back, and cleared his throat. He told her, "I will be here in the morning to pick you up.

"Will we be going back to your parents' house or...?" Sakura let the sentence dangle.

"We will continue with the plan to stay at the compound until after everything is finished. I made certain that my family understood that my decision had nothing to do with you. I however, do not want to seem like I'm running away from the clan's ire."

He wanted to continue to hold his head up high in front of the clan, Sakura reasoned privately. They would probably completely come to disrespect his position in the clan, if it seemed like he wanted to duck his chin in shame. He needed to show them that his decision was not made lightly. That was also something she could readily understand. She had been through similar situations with the old Ixion Council.

Her mouth quirked, "I'm not going to lie and say that I'm pleased about going, but I can see that its something that can't be helped."

"It is only going to be a few more days at most. I believe after this incident, the Hokage would like to get the proceedings done as soon as possible," Itachi replied, eyeing her thoughtfully.

"Well that's something, I suppose," Sakura feigned a long suffering sigh and then grinned at him, amusement dancing in her green eyes.

He smirked at her, before turning to leave.

Sakura lifted her hand in a small wave, and he returned the gesture.

After he was gone, the young woman sank into her blankets. She thought about what Itachi had just told her, and still could hardly believe it. Turning on her side, she pulled the covers up to her shoulder, snuggling into the warmth of the bed.

So many things, were happening all at once. Releasing a sigh, she figured all she could do, is take everything one day at a time. It wasn't long until the moon had risen, and Sakura plotted well into the night of how she would answer the questions that was sure to be asked. Finally, she allowed herself to fall asleep, deciding that the rest of her problems, could be dealt with in the days to come. At least, she hoped so.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: FYI** - For the readers that read **Chapter 18 **the first day I posted**, **I added a little content to the beginning and also to the conversation between Sakura and Itachi. So you may want to go back and reread those parts, but if you don't, there's nothing that will leave you confused in the future. **Also**, I didn't intend for Shikamaru and Kiba to look like they were leaving with their tails in between their legs, as if they were intimidated by Itachi. A thanks goes to **Starwolf Magic**, for pointing it out. They only meant to give the couple privacy out of respect, so I went back and reworded that as well to make it clearer to the reader. **And finally**, this story has officially passed the word count of all my stories to date, including Free Fall. I did pass the number a couple of chapters back, but I figured that I should give some leeway for A/N's. And **_reviews _**passed **300** with this chapter!** Thank you everyone, for your feedback and support!!!**

**And Finally: **An amazing and beautiful fanart has been done by **Hypermanic **for Harken's Bell **– **Stop by and check it out!

**The link is: http : // hypermanic . deviantart . com /art/Harken-s-Bell-Fanart-160373267** _**(Fill in the spaces, or go to my author's profile, I have a link in there as well.)**_

**Disclaimer: **Own Naruto, I do not.

**Chapter 19**

Sakura hated to admit that the man standing on the other side of the small wooden table, intimidated her. But he did. A fierce scar slashed his left cheek, and another matching one starting next to his right eye. It carved a diagonal trail down over his lip to his chin. But it wasn't the scars that truly left her feeling nervous. It was his eyes. They were fierce and indescribably cold. She'd always believed that Itachi could often have really intense eyes. However, this man whom they introduced to her as Ibiki, had a ruthless pair of orbs that were on a whole different level.

His hawkish expression never dimmed a notch, as he leaned closer to her. He braced his hand on the rickety wooden to leverage himself closer, so that they were nearly eye to eye.

The shaman was certainly no shinobi, but she was proud to say that she learned a thing or two from her husband. She allowed her expression to go blank, much like what she'd witnessed from the Uchiha's in general.

She refused to allow this male to make her feel guilty. She was the victim dammit!

Sakura smoothly answered each question asked. From the kidnappers' descriptions, to the names that she heard. She gave him a detailed answer for everything except for the Bijuu's involvement in the whole thing.

"So – you're telling me, you do not remember anything about the location you were taken to? That you cannot describe anything that might help any investigation? How was it that you even escaped?" Ibiki Morino fired one question after another, his thin eyebrows disappearing beneath his navy blue skullcap. It was obvious to the inquisitor, that she had planned her answers. At first, he had found it odd that the Hokage had ordered him to question a civilian that had been kidnapped. This wasn't a case that typically required his expertise. Now, he could easily perceive why the Sandaime had chosen him to do this. The Hokage had suspected that this woman wouldn't tell them everything. He'd been doing this job for more years than he'd like to admit, and Ibiki knew without a doubt that she was holding back something.

"That's correct," Sakura folded her arms against her chest, doing her best to remain calm under the censure of his glare. "I have lived much of my life in this village. I've never really traveled outside of Konoha, so –" which was the bare truth. She leaned back and shrugged, "I really don't remember much of anything. I was forcibly knocked out. I did come in and out of consciousness, and struggled when the situation presented itself – but as you can see," Sakura lifted a hand and pointed tellingly at the faded bruise on her cheek, "That didn't go too well for me. I didn't actually escape my attackers by myself. I really don't know what happened... When I woke up again, I was close to home. I walked to the city gates, and that's where the search party that was about to leave, found me." She turned her face towards the small window, to watch the rain pelt mercilessly against the glass. Again, essentially the truth.

She could tell by the way his glare turned into an all out glower, that he didn't believe her in the slightest.

Sakura turned her head again, feeling a just a little more than unsettled by the penetrating gaze that seemed to sear through her. She fought the urge to fidget and instead shifted nervously.

When he spoke again, his voice was icy, "Are you aware that withholding any information, is a criminal offense?"

She didn't even bother to look back at him, blatantly ignoring his threat. Drawing up the dregs of sarcasm and anger, that she had often used as a shield in the past, she grabbed at the emotion and allowed it to seep into her eyes and voice. Sakura answered him with a question of her own, "Is this how shinobi treat the victim of an incident that they would rather want to forget?" She turned her head, and tilted her head to the side. She pinned him with a frigid glare of her own, her emerald orbs unyielding and cold, "I don't _honestly_ care if you believe me or not." Her upper lip curled into an almost vicious sneer. Sakura could see that the inquisitor was a little taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. She pressed on, "I have told you everything that I can remember. I've even given you the leader's name. Mizuki was the one who acted as the group's leader – like I said before. Questioning me further is _fruitless_."

Sakura didn't flinch when he banged a hard fist on the table, causing the rickety wood to tremble. He leaned over and bent closer to her. His nose came within a couple inches of her own. Her eyes narrowed when she realized that she could feel his warm breath on her face. Dark brown warred with green. She refused to back down, and so she held her position.

She watched Ibiki straighten up in his seat, never releasing her unblinking, even stare. A sinking feeling hit the pit of her stomach, but she refused to give in.

The inquisitor sighed, and sat down in the chair across from her. Ibiki Morino was at a loss. Reaching for the blue lighter, that sat next to the ashtray on the table, he lit it and stuck it between his lips. He inhaled the gray smoke deeply into his lungs and held it, waiting for it to relax his nerves.

Ibiki could see the suspicion starting to show on her face. He chuckled lowly, releasing the smoke between slightly parted lips, "Oh, I can see that you aren't willing to cooperate with me." When she opened her mouth to retort, he lifted a hand to stem the flow of words that he knew was about to come out. He shook his head and fixed her with a dark look, "I really don't want to hear your bullshit."

Sakura reeled back in her seat, a bit shocked by his sudden bluntness.

The inquisitor placed the blue and white pack on the table, pointedly ignoring the blatant surprise on her face.

She stared at the small box, thinking about what she could say to this man. She hadn't expected for the person questioning her to be so astute.

He flicked the ash into the tray, and held the cigarette suspended between his fingers. "I've been doing this shit for a long time doll. It doesn't piss me off, if you decide to lie to my face. No, what really ticks me off, is that you somehow believe that I'm going to be stupid enough to fall for some half-concocted bullshit story. Did you stay up all night thinking about this shit?" It seemed that Ibiki wasn't going to bother to hold back any verbal punches.

Her eyes widened substantially when he openly smirked at her.

Sakura's mouth worked, as she mulled over what he just said. This wasn't something she hadn't expected. Her shoulders drooped slightly, the fight going out of her. Averting her eyes, she focused on the rain still pouring hard. The storm raging outside, mirrored the inside of her. She released the pent up breath she realized she was holding. Finally, she whispered softly, her voice cracking beneath the strain of her emotions, "Since you want honesty Mr. Inquisitor. I will tell you that this situation is nothing short of ironic."

Sakura knew that he could probably see the emotional turmoil in her eyes, when she finally turned her head to meet his unrelenting gaze again, but she couldn't help it. She was already fighting with all her inner strength to keep her emotions in check, and in turn not lose herself to the hurricane that waged within. She had kept it under control, but the probing nature of this whole conversation was starting to dredge her emotions to the surface.

Sakura shook her head, a smile that quite didn't reach her eyes curved her lips. Her nostrils quivered beneath the overbearing scent of smoke, but she was barely aware of the stench. Her eyes fixed themselves on his, knowing very well she was putting herself on a limb by saying the next set of words to him, "Lies... truth. I see no difference in this case but –" she chuckled softly, but the sound was dry and humorless. Sakura shook her head, her green eyes meeting his head on, "You wouldn't believe me either way. So where do we go from here? Can you separate truth from fairytale? That's the real question Mr. Inquisitor. "

Ibiki frowned darkly across the table at her, and still Sakura held fast to her resolve. She refused to be intimidated by this man. She could see the confusion brewing beneath those icy brown eyes of his. It seemed he was mulling over her words. Sakura knew that he would report everything they discussed to the Hokage but there was nothing she could do about it. In the end, the truth would cause nothing but confusion. The Bijuu, the Guardian's deceit, Hana's lies. A vicious circle that she wasn't sure she could fully explain if she was forced to. She idled with the idea of speaking with her great aunt Koharu, but she was certain that the old woman wouldn't know any more than she herself did. Sakura didn't want to burden her aunt with the knowledge either.

Suddenly a loud clap of thunder broke the silence between them. It snapped Sakura out of her torturous reverie.

Sakura suddenly smirked across the table at him, the emotional mask she wore changing once again to one of apathy. "Your rant on bullshit stories, strikes a chord in me." She leaned back and tilted her head at him, "The truth is that everyone has been lying to me my entire life. Feel free to pass that on to the Hokage. I know you will – anyway. The good little minions that you shinobi are..." she lifted her hand with a flourish, "Maybe the truth really is a lie after all. I don't know. So either way I could be lying to you and neither of us would know any difference. Is that not irony in and of itself?"

Ibiki ground the stub of his cigarette into the ashtray, effectively putting it out. His countenance was piercing, and aloof.

Sakura's expression grew shuttered, and finally she emotionally withdrew from the whole ordeal. He can take it or leave it. She was done.

Ibiki could see the silent resolve on her face. His hard gaze never softened, even as he relented, "The information you've given so far, will be enough for the present." He stood up and turned towards the door, "I'll inform your husband that the session is over."

Silence met his words.

Halting at the door, he glanced over his shoulder at her. A frown slashed his lips when he realized by her blank expression that her mind was no longer in the present. Shaking his head, he shut the door behind him, his black trench coat billowing ominously behind him.

Itachi looked up when he felt the approach of the inquisitor. Folding his arms against his chest, he leaned against the wall.

He was the first to speak, "Are you finished Morino? If possible, I would like to take my wife home."

"I told her the session was over, but she's still sitting there. You'll probably have to retrieve her," Ibiki jerked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing back down the long hallway.

Itachi nodded, averting his gaze to the closed door. He went to step around the inquisitor, when Morino's voice stopped him mid-step, "You know as well as I, that I am obligated to report everything to the Hokage."

At the offhand comment, Itachi's brow furrowed. He responded, his face contorting to its usual apathetic mask, "Yes. I am well aware of the protocol Morino."

"She wouldn't tell me everything, Uchiha-sama."

Itachi's eyes widened at this sudden dissertation. He moved to the side, so that he completely faced the taller male. He tensed and his gaze narrowed on Ibiki's face, "Is that a warning Morino?"

Ibiki shook his head. His usually hawkish expression grew harder with each passing second, his fathomless dark eyes meeting Itachi's, "Depending on the point of view, it could be taken that way. However, it'll be best – if you go and see for yourself."

Before Ibiki Morino had even finished speaking, Itachi turned away, and started to make his way to the room that held Sakura. Something about what Ibiki had said made the ANBU Captain feel uneasy, and dread started to eat at the pit of his stomach. Ibiki was not a man who spoke words that held no meaning. He made Itachi look like an avid conversationalist.

Inside the room, Sakura still hadn't moved from her position in the uncomfortable, wooden chair. She was instead, staring off into space, imprisoned by her thoughts.

The storm inside her soul raged on. Her eyelashes flickered when a droplet of cold water hit her forehead, and trailed down her temple. Lifting her hands, she noticed the blue tendrils starting to whirl over the top of her epidermis. Angling her chin towards the ceiling, she didn't move as the miniature clouds above her started to form, and inside the room – it started to rain.

Sakura had held her emotions in check. It had only been a couple days, since she'd been whisked away by order of the Bijuu. However, the meeting with the inquisitor had brought all the rawness that she felt just beneath the surface to present itself.

On the outside, she sat beneath the rain, allowing it to wash over her. In the back of her mind, she knew that she should get a hold of herself, and cease from acting silly. The elemental spirits were reacting to her mood. She just couldn't force herself to make it stop. The inquisitor would probably get mad at her, for drenching the room.

She didn't even bother to glance up, when the door opened. Maybe if she didn't react, he would just go away again, thinking it to be Morino again. Sakura was tired of the questions. Ones that she didn't want to, or rather – couldn't answer.

A pair of warm hands gripped her upper arms and she realized someone was lightly shaking her. Blinking, she finally focused on the person in front of her. She murmured his name, "Itachi?"

Sakura was a bit surprised when Itachi didn't reprimand her for her behavior.

He spoke to her in an uncharacteristically gentle voice, "Let's go Sakura. It's time to leave."

"I don't want to go to the compound." The intensity of the miniature storm heightened, and Itachi could have sworn he heard a small crack of thunder over his head.

"What's the matter with you? You were fine this morning when we left the hospital," Itachi brushed the soaking wet pink strands out of her eyes with a fleeting brush of callused fingertips.

"No, I wasn't. Not really."

Itachi took up the limp hand that lay sullenly on her lap into his, giving it a soft squeeze.

"I'm tired Itachi. I'm sick of having to be strong all of the time." Sakura admitted softly, turning her face away in shame.

Itachi shook his head, and with his free hand, tried to shield his face from the raindrops pelting his forehead. He chuckled softly, the amused sound pulling her out of whatever mental track it was taking. Placing a fingertip beneath her chin, he turned her face back so he could look her in the eye.

He reminded her with a mock stern look, "Didn't you just tell me yesterday, that such emotions are apart of just being human?"

Itachi was relieved when the shadows behind her eyes started to disperse. The rain ebbed away, and all that was left, was the two of them, soaked to the skin.

She laughed softly, "I did, didn't I?" Sakura then said something that he was unprepared for, her green eyes glistening with emotion, "I'm very happy that, you are in my life Itachi." The corners of her eyes crinkled when she smiled at him, "It makes dealing with being human a little easier."

He cupped her face with his hands, making certain she maintained eye contact with him. Itachi told her, "I don't know what happened to you Sakura. I won't know unless you decide that you want to tell me."

It took Sakura a couple seconds to realize that Itachi wasn't going to force anything from her.

She reached up, her fingers reaching up to encircle his wrists. She knew that, he was basically telling her that he was going to trust her. That almost made her feel guilty for not opening up to him. It made her want to be completely honest with him, even if doing so would make her seem like she'd lost her sanity.

Her lower lip worked, as she struggled with the intense desire to tell him everything. She needed someone and now, she no longer felt comfortable with the idea of confiding in Hana. Strangely enough, she couldn't find it in her heart to be angry with the cat. She felt hurt and betrayed. But no matter what, she still thought of the feline as family. It was that thought, that made it all that much more painful.

Wordlessly, she finally stood up.

"Are you comfortable with leaving?"

"We probably better head to the house, before we get sick," Sakura struggled for at least one shred of normalcy. She was starting to tremble with cold in her wet clothes.

Side by side, the couple left the small building that had been another addition near the Hokage's Tower.

At the end of the hall, Itachi reached for the umbrella that he had brought with him this morning. He made no move to open it once they were outside, even though it was still raining.

Sakura laughed when Itachi eyed the dark blue umbrella in his hand with a thoughtful expression. She sighed audibly and shook her head, "I suppose there really is no point to using it is there?"

"Aa."

They stepped out into the rain, letting it pelt them. She caught glimpses of other people walking with hurried steps, to get out of the downpour. Itachi just strode through town almost leisurely as if it was an everyday occurrence.

She could only imagine the picture the pair of them made. Sakura shook her head, her lips trembling with barely suppressed mirth. She couldn't help it, she threw back her head and laughed.

Itachi sent her a sidelong glance, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. He warned her, "Laugh now. Just wait until my mother sees us in this state."

Sakura scoffed at this. She couldn't imagine that Mikoto would still want to talk to her. Especially after Itachi told the clan elders exactly what he thought. His parents would probably blame her.

When they got to the house, they stepped beneath the overhang of the porch.

Instead of just walking in, Itachi knocked.

Sakura arched a brow at him playfully. "Don't you have a jutsu for something like this?"

Itachi smirked down at her. He quipped back, "Well, my clan is one who specializes with fire jutsus. I could try one of those, but I do not think you'd care for the result."

It was almost a full minute before the door was opened. However it was Sasuke who opened the entrance, and not Mikoto. Dark brown eyes widened at the sight of the pair.

"What in the hell were you two doing out there?" Sasuke caught sight of the closed umbrella in Itachi's hand and frowned. He wasn't quite sure what to say to them. He could see the mischievous light in his older brother's eyes, and Sasuke shook his head. He probably didn't want to know. He cleared his throat, "Just be glad mom isn't here to see you like this. Wait here, I'll grab you some towels."

"Thanks," Sakura called after him, trying to keep her teeth from chattering. And then she inquired in a low voice, "Itachi?"

"Hn?" He turned to face her.

"Will there be an issue, with that whole you know -- rain in the interrogation room? All that water is going to end up causing damage..."

"Don't worry about it. I'll have it taken care of," Itachi waved a dismissive hand in her direction.

She sighed softly, "I'm sorry."

He only shook his head, not in the least bit concerned about it.

Sasuke returned rather quickly with the towels, and the pair quickly dried off as much as they actually could without stripping off their wet clothes. In the end, they managed to get through the house, without making much of a mess.

Once in the privacy of their own room, Itachi shrugged out of his black shirt, with the dark netting he wore underneath, soon to follow it's counterpart into the makeshift hamper.

Sakura caught herself gaping at his bare chest, her gaze following the path of water droplets trailing down his skin, only to disappear into the waistband of his pants. When she realized that she was actually gawking openly at her husband, her cheeks started to heat up. It didn't help matters that when she lifted her eyes, she realized that that Itachi was openly smirking at her, his mouth twisted with a masculine satisfaction that sent her heart racing.

When he started to stride towards her, her throat went dry. She shuffled back, averting her gaze from his face, no longer able to withstand that knowing stare.

She glanced up startled when his finger hooked under her chin.

He told her, his voice slightly raspy, "You're still shivering. You should take a hot bath, before you really do get sick."

"Are you sure you don't want to take yours first?" Sakura asked softly, somewhat proud that she managed to reply in an even voice.

Itachi nodded, "I'm certain. Go ahead."

Smiling, she dipped her chin, appreciating his thoughtfulness, "Okay." Hurrying over to the dresser, she grabbed a set of clean clothes, before hurrying off to the bathroom. She quickly set the bath to fill with the water set to as hot as she could stand, and when she was finally able to slide down into the heated liquid, she allowed herself to relax completely.

Settling against the porcelain, she wondered what it was about Itachi that made all other thoughts in her head flee. She had been so lost in her emotions, there in that small room of inquiries, that she'd almost felt like she was drowning in them. Lifting her knees, she cradled her chin against the now warmed skin, and idly twirled her fingers in the water.

It was like his presence had been the balm to soothe the pain she felt inside. Was this how things were supposed to be?

A tiny chuckle left her, when she thought about the progress from the first meeting until now. It was almost like they were two different people, from then. Remembering that Itachi was waiting for the bath, she hurried to finish.

By the time she was dressed and was just combing out her hair, there was a soft knock on the door. She grasped the knob, and opened it already starting to apologize, "I'm sorry I took so long I..."

Her words were effectively cut off when, Itachi leaned in and kissed her on the lips, swallowing the rest of her words whole. With that he shrugged past her and shut the door, leaving her standing there in the hallway, with her mouth agape.

She traced the outline of her lips with her fingertips. A small smile graced her features, before she shook her head, and returned to the bedroom. She'd just have to return for her dirty clothes after he was done with the bath.

**-o-**

Over the next couple of days, Sakura saw very little of Itachi, and Hana still hadn't shown up. She had holed herself up in the room, hoping that the cat would come in through the window. She idled with the idea of sending the cat a message through the wind spirits, but decided against it. Sakura wasn't sure at this point she even wanted to confront the feline. As time passed, the shaman came to a point where, she didn't even want to discuss what had really happened with Hana.

The whole thing was starting to feel surreal to her, as if it was a dream, and hadn't happened in the first place. Truth be told, Sakura would love to bury her head in the sand, and pretend it had never occurred. That she had never came face to face with the Bijuu. That she and Shukaku had never had the conversation in the first place.

That morning, Sakura headed to dining room, the savory scent of breakfast cooking drawing her out of the bedroom.

She peered into the room, and noted with a frown that Itachi hadn't even waited for the morning meal. Her eyes fell onto his younger sibling, who had the corner of a piece of toast halfway in his mouth. She went and plopped down in that spot across from him, and grinned at him, "Good morning brother in law _dearest_."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, his grumpy expression eliciting giggles from her.

Mikoto came out of the kitchen, and set Sakura's breakfast down hard. The porcelain hit the wood with a loud clink. The young woman winced at the sharp sound.

Sakura shifted uncomfortably underneath the older woman's piercing look. Even though she was confused by Mikoto's behavior, she voiced her gratitude anyway, "Thanks for breakfast. Did Itachi already leave for work?"

Mikoto didn't respond, instead she shot a dark frown at Sakura.

Sasuke surprisingly rescued her from the awkward tension that was starting to build in the room. He cleared his throat, drawing her attention away from his mother, "Yeah. There's a lot of things that has to be taken care of. You do remember that the new Hokage, the Yondaime, is going to be announced today... Right?"

"I haven't forgotten," Sakura made a face at Sasuke, and then gave a careless half shrug. "How could I forget something that important?" Even though no one had bothered to tell her what day it was going to be in the first place. And as usual with all things shinobi, she was clueless.

Sasuke pointed a look at her that told her that, she wasn't fooling anyone.

Mikoto cleared her throat, her face pinched with barely suppressed anger, "My eldest son, should have been involved with _more_ than _just _the preparation. If only you had never married my..." She clamped her mouth shut and didn't finish that sentence, instead she sucked in her breath and glowered at Sakura.

Taken aback by Mikoto's sudden outburst, Sakura's eyes narrowed at the older woman. Was she being blamed for Itachi's decision to drop his candidacy?"

Her lips flattened into a thin line and her own temper started to flare up in response to the other woman's seething glare. Sakura jumped up, and even though she was a good couple inches shorter than Mikoto, Sakura didn't care. She crossed her arms over her chest, leveling a hard glare that her Aunt Koharu had hated with a passion, "Are you accusing me? Are you saying that you believe that Itachi decided to drop out of this stupid Hokage _thing _because of me?"

Mikoto's chin firmed, her voice raised to a high pitch that caused Sakura to wince, "Why else would my son do something so outrageous? In all his life, he's never gone against..."

"Bullshit!" Sasuke suddenly exclaimed, startling both women into silence. He slammed his hands on the table, rocketing to his feet. He aimed a dark glare at his mother, "That's the most fucking stupid thing, I've ever heard come out of your mouth!"

Sakura and Mikoto both gaped at Sasuke.

Mikoto recovered first, "Watch your mouth, young man! I've never..."

Sasuke cut her off, his eyebrows snapping together, giving away the extent of his anger. He shook his head hard, causing his spiky bangs to flail wildly, "You never what? Why are you blaming her? Itachi told the council from the get go that he didn't want to be Hokage. You were there, or have you forgotten already? But that shitty old man Toshio – pulled the guilt-trip card on Itachi. And you and I both know, that wasn't the first time he's done something like that to Itachi! But neither you or father said a damn word about it! If anyone's at fault, then you _and_ father are the guilty ones. Not her!"

Sakura watched Mikoto flush and then pale at her son's tempestuous tirade. Sakura quickly interjected before the argument got worse. She turned to Mikoto, "You once told me that – all you wanted, was to see Itachi happy. If you really meant what you said, then you should be proud that he took a stand for what he feels is right." Then Sakura pivoted hard on her heel to level a look at Sasuke. She arched a brow, "Even though I agree with the shitty old men comment, I don't think you should be placing the blame on other people either."

Sasuke glared fiercely at her, before grounding out angrily, "What in the hell do you mean by that?"

"You're an adult too, Sasuke. Think about it," Sakura ducked her head, and averted her gaze from his cold eyes, "You didn't speak up for your brother, when you could have. No one did."

Sasuke ran his hand agitatedly through his bedraggled hair. He nodded, his angry countenance deflating. He squeezed his hands into fists, he agreed icily, "You're right. I should have." Shaking his head at the two women, he turned and stalked out of the dining room.

Both women flinched slightly when several seconds later, they heard the front door slam.

"I'm sorry," Mikoto suddenly said in a husky, soft voice, "Sasuke's right, I..."

Sakura turned, and then shook her head when the other woman faltered, "Don't worry about it. I can understand why you're upset, I think. You just wanted what you thought was best for your son."

"Itachi's always been a person who has the ability to go as far as he wants. I want to see him succeed," Mikoto plopped down at the table, and propped her elbows on the table, burying her face in her hands.

"Well," Sakura hedged. She paused and shook her head. Hesitating a moment, she looked down at the top of Mikoto's bent head. Finally making a decision, Sakura strode around to the other side of the table and sat across from the other woman.

Mikoto looked up at her, her brown eyes glistening with moisture.

Sakura released her pent up breath. Even though she had her own unrelated inner turmoil churning in her gut, she couldn't leave the conversation like this. She finally said, turning her eyes away from Mikoto's distraught look, "You know – if you think about it. You've already seen that. Itachi succeed I mean..."

Mikoto shook her head, brushing off what Sakura was saying to her, "Itachi's skill exceeds the position he holds and..."

Sakura shook her head, openly disagreeing with Mikoto. She returned her gaze to meet the other woman's eyes. She interrupted, "This isn't about him being a shinobi. I just meant, as a person." At Mikoto's confused look, Sakura gave her a small smile before explaining, "He achieved something, that most people are too afraid to even face. He stopped running away from something that he felt was the truth, even though he knew that it would go against what his whole clan wanted of him. He's standing up for what he feels is right for _him. _In its own way, isn't that succeeding?"

Mikoto smiled sadly, "I suppose you really don't understand the way of clan life. Such thinking is considered very selfish and unacceptable. But..." Itachi's mother nodded at her, "I can appreciate what you're trying to say."

Sakura sighed before responding, "I have to disagree about selfishness." She ignored the way Mikoto's face hardened at her defiance. Sakura's expression twisted into a mask of self-recrimination, "He's the least selfish person I know. Itachi considers every angle possible. He thinks on a larger scale than just his clan. He came to the decision, because he didn't feel he could serve to the fullest capacity necessary at this time in his life. He told me that, the person who becomes Hokage, should want to take care of all Konoha. It is not a position that should benefit just one clan, he said." She purposefully left out all the other things Itachi had told her, knowing full well that he wouldn't appreciate her divulging all of his feelings on the subject to his mother.

"He said that?" Mikoto asked softly, her fingertips going to rest on her lips as if to contemplate what she'd just been told.

"Yes, he did. He was very serious about it."

"I see," Mikoto nodded, her eyes softening substantially leaving no trace of the iciness that had been present before.

Sakura picked up a piece of toast off of her plate, and started to eat, even though her breakfast had grown cold.

Mikoto changed the subject, "Will you be attending the ceremony tonight?"

"I suppose so. Am I even allowed to attend something like that?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Of course you are," Mikoto sighed, "The whole village is going to be there. And tomorrow, there will be a huge celebration in honor of the next Hokage's ascension."

Celebration? Sakura hadn't heard anything about that. Well, she shouldn't be surprised. She had pretty much kept to the bedroom after the whole inquisitor thing. She hadn't even noticed that Itachi's mother was upset with her until this morning. Oh well, Sakura thought's veered off into another direction entirely, it meant that soon she'd be allowed to return to the shrine. It was all she could do not to grin.

"I see," she picked up her plate, and rose to her feet. She bent over, and grabbed Sasuke's as well. "Thanks for breakfast. I'll go ahead and take care of the dishes."

"That's fine. I have to go into the village to take care of a few things anyway." Mikoto stood to her feet. She expressed her gratitude, "Thank you Sakura. I'll see you later this evening. It starts at four o' clock at the Hokage's Tower."

Sakura nodded at Mikoto before disappearing into the kitchen. Filling the sink with hot water, she added the dish soap. As the basin filled with the sudsy liquid, she scraped the leftovers into the trashcan, and shut off the tap. Setting the dinnerware into the sink, she hurriedly washed the dishes. She dried them off and put them away. It made her feel a bit better. She didn't want to feel like she was mooching off her husband's parents.

She thought about taking a walk, but quickly decided against it. If Mikoto had initially blamed her over Itachi's decision, Sakura couldn't imagine what the rest of the clan thought of her right now. Not that she really gave a damn, but she had enough of conflict to last her a long while and would rather not have an argument with someone else.

Sakura settled for getting ready for this event. She had to wonder though. Would it be okay for her to leave the compound alone? She supposed at this point, none of the other clans would bother kidnapping her in hopes of blackmail.

Shrugging it off, she went through the dresser and found a pair of black pants, and a sleeveless magenta top that had her clan's symbol on the back.

Brushing the length of her hair out, she put it up into a high ponytail. She took one last glance at herself in the mirror, and was quite pleased with the effect.

Deciding to leave early, and head straight to the village, so as to avoid any angry Uchiha clan members. She left the house, and quickly cut through the housing district, to reach the front gate. Fortunately, no one bothered to confront her. The moment she stepped into the main village she breathed an audible sigh of relief.

Lifting her hands over her head, she splayed them out uncaring that people were already starting to stare. She belted out, at the top of her lungs, "Hell yeah! Freedom!"

A few onlookers, grabbed the hands of their children who were giggling and pointing at the pink haired woman, and dragged them down the street, away from Sakura. Other people just chuckled, and shook their head before going about their daily routine.

It was all Sakura could do, not to skip down the street. The first place decided to head to, was the shrine. With each step up the hill, her heart started to beat harder in her chest.

She suddenly stopped mid-step. What if Hana was there?

Her fingers clenched, and she hesitated. She wasn't sure if she was ready to see the cat again. If she did, Sakura wasn't sure what she'd do. Walking up to the wrought iron gate, she gripped the bars, and peered inside cautiously. Swallowing hard, she opened the property entrance and stepped inside.

She walked the whole property, to make certain everything was still in place. Sakura was relieved when everything looked untouched. Finally she went into the house, and looked around. Other than being dustier than usual, all was well. And still, there was no sign of Hana.

Despite her conflicting emotions, Sakura had to wonder. Where had Hana gone? The cat had promised to come back to check on her apprentice, but Sakura hadn't seen the feline since she'd first arrived at Itachi's parent's house.

Sakura almost hated to admit, that she felt a little worried about the cat. In the end, she still considered Hana apart of her family.

Sighing, she shook her head. There was nothing she could do about it. Glancing at the wall clock, she realized that it was still early. She decided that she had time to clean up the house a little. The shaman threw herself into the task. Before she knew it, she had scrubbed everything from top to bottom.

It was only a sharp growl that came from her stomach, the reminded her to take a break to eat.

She went to the kitchen, and rummaged through the refrigerator to see if she couldn't find something that hadn't spoiled. Sakura made a small, quick meal out of crackers and cheese. She figured she could stop for some ramen before she headed to the Hokage Tower to hear the final announcement with the rest of the village.

Sakura finished her food, and after realizing she felt sweaty and grimy from the house work, she went to the hot spring behind the house to bathe. A sigh of pure pleasure left her lips when she sunk into the steaming hot water.

"Kami, I missed this."

After a few minutes of pure bliss, she got down to business. In the end, Sakura had been relunctant to leave the bath.

She quickly dried the moisture off of her skin, and peered at the outfit that she picked out thoughtfully. A smile touched her lips. It had been awhile since she went out anywhere decked in her mother's dress.

With tender fingers, she picked up the silver bells that so often adorned her wrists. Adjusting the strap, she put the bells on. She smiled when she heard the familiar tinkle. Pulling the beige dress over her head, she clasped the silver crescent moon chains that pulled the neck together. Brushing out the wet strands of her hair. She allowed the tresses to flow freely. The wind spirits enjoyed it when she left her hair down for them to play with.

After putting on her boots, she left the shrine in high spirits. Heading down the hill, she could hear the sounds of the populace. She stopped at the edge of the main street that took her through the heart of the village. Her eyes did a slow panorama over the people milling towards the tower. Sakura frowned when she didn't see any of her friends.

They must all be busy with the preparations, she mused privately.

Giving up on the idea of finding someone she knew, she meandered down the street. Her nostrils pricked when she passed by a vendor that was selling dango. Her lips trembled with suppressed amusement, when she recalled the last instance she'd had some. Itachi had bought some for her, after she had verbally twisted his arm of course. She ambled over to the stand, and picked out the sweet dango.

Just as she was about to bite into the food, it was snatched from her hand.

She blinked and peered around to find the perpetrator.

Green was ensnared by black.

Sakura grinned at her husband who had already bitten into _her _dango. She crossed her arms, and mock glared at him, "I should shock the hell out of you. Sneaking up on an innocent girl and taking her lunch."

Around the bite of food, Itachi smirked before correcting her, "Dango isn't a lunch."

When she made a grab for it, he held it just out of her reach. It was moments like this, that Sakura cursed her short height.

Giving up on the hope of retrieving her dango from her husband, she rolled her eyes and sighed, "Aren't you supposed to be hanging out of a tree somewhere or something?"

Her eyes narrowed when he ate the last bit of the dango. He tossed the long, empty toothpick into a trash can, still smirking.

A gasp left her, when he suddenly gathered her up into his arms, and lifted her off her feet. Before a protest could form in her mind, he had already jumped onto a rooftop, with her cradled against his chest.

She started to struggle when he made no move to release her, "Put me down Itachi. What are you doing?"

Instead of replying, he bent his head and kissed her on the lips.

Her eyes widened. Her attempt to push him away, quickly turned into gripping his shirt, and pulling him closer instead. She traced his lips with the tip of her tongue, tasting the sweet residue of the dango.

He deepened the kiss, just before he released the caress.

Sakura shook her head to clear her thoughts. She inquired hoarsely, "Where are you taking me?"

Again, he didn't respond. Instead, he started to run across the perimeter of the roof, leaping from one building to the next effortlessly.

Jumping down to the ground, he set her down, and she looked around wide-eyed. He had brought her to the Hokage's Tower.

"W-why did you...?"

"You would have been late," Itachi replied coolly.

"Late for what? It's not even four o'clock yet."

Instead of explaining, he gestured calmly towards the city clock. Sakura turned, and frowned when she realized that she would have been late. The ceremony was going to start in less than ten minutes.

The crowd around them started to gather, and tighten around them.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping out?" Sakura asked him curiously.

"I've completed my duties," he replied. However Sakura noticed that he wasn't even looking at her. Instead, he scanned the people around them.

"Oh, I see."

Deciding to let him do whatever it was that he was really doing, she turned to face the front. She smiled when the double wooden doors to the balcony opened. The crowd quieted for a moment, and then when the candidates stepped forward, with the Sandaime leading them. A loud cheer split the silence.

It was all Sakura could do not to clamp her hands over her ears.

She recognized the faces of Hiashi Hyuuga and Minato Uzumaki. The other she didn't recognize meeting before. She remembered the Uchiha elders mentioning his name, Asuma something or other. She noticed that they were all dressed in plain white robes for the ceremony.

Her eyes widened when the former Ixion Council suddenly stepped out behind the candidates.

She gawked openly, "W-what are they doing up there?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," Itachi told her without looking over at her.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

The Hokage stepped forward and raised an arm towards his audience. Again, the voices around her quieted.

"I gladly welcome all the residents of the Hidden Leaf, new and old on this glorious day. I can hardly express the strength of my gratitude for your support. Thank you for coming here today, to greet the one who will step up, and take up the mantle of Hokage." His words boomed out over the crowd. Sakura absently wondered how he was able to project his voice so loudly. Before she could ponder over it further, the Sandaime continued, "Before I reveal the name of this individual, the head of the former council of Ixion would like to speak to everyone."

Sakura grinned when her great aunt stepped around the Hokage, and surveyed the audience with a sharp expression she knew all too well.

"We want all citizens of Konoha to feel comfortable during this big change. We understand that this transition may leave some of the former residents of Ixion feeling a little uneasy, so the Council of Ixion, has partnered with the Hokage. We have agreed to come out of retirement. We will be assisting the Yondaime in this new position," Koharu announced to the public.

"Those old farts just couldn't retire," Sakura grumbled quietly under her breath. She almost felt bad for the new Hokage.

The old woman bowed, and the crowd clapped wildly.

Koharu backed away, to give the Sandaime room to step around her.

He came forward again, "With the assistance of the Council, I have considered each candidate fairly in respect to all clans that worked so hard for this event to succeed. Each of the chosen candidates, would undeniably make excellent Hokages. It was a hard decision for me to arrive to. After much discussion with the Council, we have finally agreed on the person who will lead Konoha into a prosperous future."

When he paused everything became so quiet, Sakura could have sworn that even the birds stopped chirping. The crowd waited for his next announcement on bated breath.

Sakura would like to say, that she really couldn't care less. But she was like the rest of the crowd. She chewed on her lower lip anxiously.

"We have chosen, Minato Uzumaki."

The few seconds of silence that followed the announcement was almost deafening. Then the crowd broke into wild applause. The original city residents clapped politely. However, the shinobi and their family members were so loud that Sakura gave in and covered her ears. She peeked surreptitiously at Itachi. A small smile graced her lips when she noticed that he was also smiling, even though he himself wasn't applauding or cheering with the rest of the crowd.

His reaction somehow made Sakura feel better about the future of her beloved city.

That didn't stop her from scrunching up her face and asking a question that caused Itachi to smirking over at her, "They're going to be drilling another face into side of the mountain aren't they?"

She lifted her eyes to the skies above her while answering her own question, "Of course they are. Shinobi apparently don't make statues for their leaders. I guess you _people_ have a reputation to keep."

**-o-**

**A/N: **Again I know that Minato's real last name is Namikaze, but for the sake of the real main character of Naruto, I changed it to Uzumaki. (For those that may have not read it in previous author's notes, or have forgotten about it.)


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Oh where, oh where has the little cat gone? Oh where, oh where, could she be? -grins maniacally- No matter how much you ask me, I'm not going to tell you. Yet. Okay, to note reviewers. If you have issues with reviewing – that is my fault. I deleted the little Hiatus note I made during the Christmas season because being a chapter ahead was bugging me. Once I realized it wouldn't delete any of the reviews, I went ahead and popped the delete button. I don't beg for reviews, but I will openly admit to wanting to keep the ones I do have.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto... ect ect.

**Chapter 20**

"You want me to wear that?" Sakura inquired curiously, moving closer to inspect it. Her eyes roamed over the fancy garment that Mikoto held up for her perusal.

"Yes. I understand that..." Mikoto trailed off and she paused a moment. Her brown orbs scanning the shaman outfit that Sakura was wearing and released a small sigh. She continued with a forced smile, "You have traditional clothing that you like to wear for such occasions. However, I would request that you might consider representing your husband's clan today."

Sakura glanced at the yukata again. She had to admit, that it was very beautiful and feminine. It's color was one she hadn't ever quite seen before. The pigment lay somewhere in between lilac and pink. At the edge of the bell-shaped sleeves, was the Uchiha clan emblem, contrasting with the soft hue. The hem of the sleeves and the bottom was a shocking teal that seemed to clash and meld with the mauve all at the same time. She thought it was beautifully intricate in its own way.

The shaman ran her hand through her hair, the silver bells on her wrists tinkling. A soft sigh left her lips, as she contemplated the situation. Finally Sakura dipped her head, "I think a compromise can be made."

A small grin curved her lips when she noticed the relief on Mikoto's face. Sakura chuckled and reached for the hanger in the other woman's hand. She arched a brow at Itachi's mother when a sudden thought struck her, "Where did you get something like this? Did you have it made for the occasion or...?"

"It's mine. It was given to me just after I married Fugaku. It was a wedding gift from his parents," Mikoto explained softly.

Sakura was taken aback by the gesture. Her eyes widened and she shook her head, "If that's the case, then I really shouldn't..." She stepped forward to return the yukata to the other woman.

Brown eyes warmed. Mikoto shook her head and said, "No, I would like you to keep it. It's not as if, I will ever fit into it again anyway." She suddenly reached forward and gently grasped Sakura's chin to tilt it slightly upward, so that she could look deeply into her daughter-in-law's vividly bright eyes, "I don't believe you were given a proper wedding gift, as it is." Mikoto released her grip and stepped back. A genuine smile curved the raven-haired woman's lips, "You love my son."

Sakura felt the rising blush creeping up her neck, all the way up to her cheeks. She pressed her cheek with her other hand, as if to quell the burning sensation.

Mikoto pointedly ignored Sakura's embarrassment. She reached forward and smoothed a strand of hair back behind the curve of her daughter-in-law's ear. She added, her voice soft, "You were right when you said that all I wanted, was to see my son happy. That's every mother's wish for her children. I honestly believe that you are good for my son. Would you wear his clan's emblem with pride, and come to cherish that part of him, as well?"

The hand on her cheek, slipped down to rest over her heart. Her fingers curled into the material of her dress. Sakura hesitated and then she lunged forward and wrapped her arm around Mikoto in a partial embrace.

The older woman wrapped her arms around Sakura tightly. It had been so long since her own mother passed away, Sakura thought privately, that she'd forgotten the feeling of a mother's embrace. This woman wasn't her mother, but it still held that unexplainable warmth, that her mother's had. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

Green orbs widened slightly, when she heard Mikoto's mumbled apology, "I'm sorry."

Sakura pulled away so that she could look at Mikoto. She tilted her head to the side, "Whatever for?"

"I said some horrible things to you yesterday."

The younger woman's mouth worked, as she swallowed past the lump in her throat. She realized with a start, that she wasn't used to people apologizing to her. She smiled lopsidedly at Mikoto and shook her head, "It did make me angry, but it wasn't like I didn't understand. You were concerned for your son's well-being. I didn't hold that against you. It's not like, I don't owe you an apology as well for how I've acted."

After several seconds of awkward silence, Mikoto cleared her throat, "Would you like assistance with putting that on?"

Grateful for the sudden change in subject, Sakura nodded still feeling a little uncomfortable, "Yes. I've never worn anything like this before. I wouldn't even know how to put it on."

Sakura returned to her temporary bedroom, with Mikoto trailing after her. Patiently, Mikoto explained the parts of the yukata, and with gentle fingers she showed Sakura how to wrap the obi around her waist.

When she was finished, she looked in the mirror. She felt slightly ridiculous being so dressed up, but she was forced to admit, it looked good on her. She was grateful that when she put the bells around her wrists, that Mikoto didn't say anything.

Sakura sat on the bed, and allowed Mikoto to put her hair up for her in a chignon. She blushed when the older woman clipped in a long, silver colored barrette to hold the pink tresses in place. With nimble and swift fingers, Mikoto smoothed out some of Sakura's bangs, and positioned the tresses so that they framed her petite face.

Finally Sakura slipped her feet into a pair of brown sandals.

Stepping back, Mikoto looked her over with a critical eye and after a moment smiled, "You look wonderful. I'm glad that it fits you."

Blushing, Sakura's eyes flicked to the side away from Mikoto's warm gaze, "Thank you."

"My son already left, didn't he?"

"I think he said something about checking in for duty this morning after breakfast. I don't know if they intend to keep him all day," Sakura replied with a small shrug.

"Oh well. I guess we're just going to have to escort ourselves," Mikoto shook her head and then smiled, "I'm going to go get ready. If you don't mind waiting, we can head to the festival together."

Sakura nodded, "I'll wait in the living room for you."

Filing out of the bedroom, Sakura did just that. She sat on the couch, contemplating what Mikoto had said to her. She ran a hand down the smooth material and smiled. The smile faded slightly when she recalled the sure way Mikoto had told her that she loved Itachi.

Her face flushed. She hadn't even bothered to deny it, Sakura realized belatedly. Her heart thumped in her chest, and she nibbled nervously on her lower lip. She knew she felt something for Itachi, but she hadn't even thought to label it as love. He was her husband, and she knew could admit that she cared about him. But she wasn't so sure she could honestly say that she was in love with him.

Just imagining herself admitting something so embarrassing to him, made her face heat up to the point that it felt like it was going to catch on fire.

Her mother-in-law's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "Are you ready?"

Immediately Sakura shot to her feet, while eyeing the navy blue yukata that Mikoto had put on, "Yes, let's go."

When the older woman turned, Sakura noticed that the Uchiha clan symbol was stitched into the back of the outfit, and not at the end of the sleeves, like the one she was wearing.

The two women traveled side by side amiably down the street, to the entrance leading into the main village.

Angling her head to the side slightly, Sakura felt the breeze whisper against her cheek. The elemental spirits whispered their usual greeting against the lobe of her ear, before dancing away.

She glanced to the side when they were approached by Naruto. Sakura's eyes widened slightly when she noticed a red haired woman, with stark, shockingly violet eyes beside him. She too, was dressed in a yukata. The hue was a vivid and unforgiving brilliant crimson that nearly matched the shade of her hair. It was then, Sakura noticed that the familiar swirling symbol on the shoulders of her sleeves was the same as the one Naruto always wore. She must be a relative, Sakura surmised quietly.

"Oy Sakura!" He greeted her with his atypical, boyish grin. He bounced over with seemingly boundless energy, "Have you met my mother yet?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. She shook her head vigorously, "No, I haven't."

The redhead's lips curved into a playful smile, "So, you are the woman who chose an Uchiha over my son eh?"

Taken aback by the woman's bluntness, Sakura could only stare back wide-eyed.

Mikoto arched a brow at Naruto's mother, a catty smirk curving her lips.

"Kushina," the redhead introduced herself, holding out her hand jauntily.

Sakura stared at the hand a moment and hesitated. The playful light in Kushina's violet eyes left her feeling a little leery of her intentions.

Kushina didn't bother to wait for the shaman to make up her mind. She reached over and grasped Sakura's partially outstretched hand.

Sakura finally responded, "To set the record straight, I wasn't the one who made a decision. Itachi chose me."

"Oh?" Kushina glanced over at her son, "You failed to mention that brat."

Naruto gripped the back of his neck, a sheepish grin on his face. "You didn't ask."

"You've got a strong grip," Kushina glanced down at their linked hands, "I would have never guessed."

Sakura pulled back, mumbling an apology, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm glad to finally get the chance to meet you. You were the talk of the village when I first arrived. Though," a brow lifted, as she paused to peer down into Sakura's face, "you don't look like a witch to me."

Tired of being needled by the other woman, an arrogant smirk slashed Sakura's lips. She decided to return Kushina's teasing. With little effort, Sakura began to leak yellow chakra tendrils. For dramatic effect she tapped into a small reserve of chakra. The whites of her eyes disappeared, leaving behind only piercing green, "Appearances can be deceiving."

Mikoto stepped to the side feeling a little uncomfortable by the sudden, eerie change in Sakura's appearance.

Naruto shook his head at the display. He remembered when he had believed that Sakura was a witch himself.

Kushina stared at Sakura for a long moment. She startled everyone when threw back her head and laughed loudly. She shook her head, still smiling, "You know kid? That's pretty good. But honestly, I've seen some bloodline limits in shinobi that would make a grown man piss his pants."

Immediately Sakura retracted her chakra, causing her eyes returned to normal. The chakra wisps returned to her body as if they'd never been.

Mikoto shook her head, and chuckled lightly, "You're always the same Uzumaki-sama."

The vivacious redhead grinned at the reserved Uchiha matriarch, "Yes, but you're no different Uchiha-sama. You know it's the truth."

Mikoto only smiled politely in response. She turned her attention to Naruto, "Have you seen Sasuke around?"

"Yeah, he was over at the north end of town, last I seen him."

"Would you mind if I leave you here Sakura?" Mikoto inquired softly.

"Not at all," she shook her head.

Mikoto bowed to the three of them, before turning away, and striding towards that direction. Sakura knew that Mikoto was still a bit put out by Sasuke's blow up. She hoped that Sasuke would at least hear his mother out. Well, if her mother-in-law's motives were what she suspected, anyway.

"Well kids, I've got to go meet up with my husband." Her jovial countenance grew stern, as she pinned Naruto with a sharp gaze, that made the young man shift nervously. She told her son in a tone that spoke volumes, "Make sure you don't forget to attend your father's ceremony."

At that, Naruto frowned at his mother, "Why would I forget that? I'll be there."

Kushina grinned again, the mask of seriousness melting away, as if it had never been. After she walked away, Sakura told the blond, "You may look more like your father, but you get your smile from your mom."

He scratched the side of his cheek, "You think so?"

"Definitely."

"How do you do that yellow chakra thingy? It's kinda cool." Naruto asked her suddenly.

Sakura arched a brow at Naruto, "Trade secret."

Naruto wilted slightly, and pouted at her.

She rolled her eyes tellingly at the blond, "I'm going to go explore." She gestured towards the various assortment of vendors.

He glanced towards the towering city clock and nodded, "Yeah, there's plenty of time to play around."

When he turned his head, Sakura was already walking towards a carnival game stand. Putting a finger to her lip, she watched a small group of teenagers trying to pop colorful balloons with throwing darts.

Sakura pointed when Naruto came up beside her, "That game should be easy for you. I mean, you nin are always throwing around those sharp and pointy thingies."

"You mean a kunai?" He eyed her oddly.

"Yeah that's the word," Sakura nodded.

Naruto laughed at her, "You're really something." But then he shook his head, "This game is not as easy as it looks. Those darts have had chakra augmentation done, so that you can't just throw them straight."

She glanced back to watch the teens try again. Immediately she could see what Naruto meant. One of the boys, a black-haired teen who was trying his best to win his girlfriend a stuffed animal, cocked his elbow back. As soon as he released the dart, it curved sharply mid air only to strike the wooden table that held up the prop.

"I see."

"A lot of these games are rigged like that," Naruto shrugged offhandedly, "But I guess if the vendors didn't do that, they'd run out of prizes pretty quickly. Practically half the village is shinobi now."

Sakura sighed softly, changing the subject, "I wish Itachi didn't have to be on duty today."

"You should have just said so. I think I know where he is. You wanna go see him?" Naruto asked her.

She frowned at the blond, hesitation marring her features, "I would like to... but if he's busy, I probably shouldn't bother him."

"You should listen to your feelings a bit more Sakura."

Her cheeks reddened at the mention of feelings. She glared at him, "Are you trying lecture me Naruto?"

Naruto chuckled, unaffected by the sharp look she sent him. "Naw. I'm just saying, you tend to give up, when you really don't want to."

Before Sakura could snap back, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She gasped when she suddenly felt herself being propelled forward. She stumbled at first, but the picked up the pace. She watched Naruto cut through the crowd almost expertly.

When they finally stopped, he released his hold on her and stepped back next to her.

Sakura lifted her eyes, and there on the Academy lawn stood a few squads of ANBU in a semi circle. Even from her vantage point, she could see three Captains, garbed in their telltale long white jackets. Or what she often referred to as bedsheets. They stood together as if conversing. Perhaps they were having some kind of meeting, she thought to herself privately.

She elbowed Naruto hard in the ribs, causing the blond to wince. She hissed out of the corner of her mouth, "See? I told you. He's busy."

Just as she was about to turn away, one of the three ANBU Captains turned to stare straight at her. She couldn't explain how she knew, but she knew it was Itachi. Her throat went dry, and nervousness started to claw at her insides. Sakura turned away, doing her best not to fidget, "I should go..."

Turning she moved to walk away.

"Wait Sakura," Naruto told her, but she ignored him and kept going while grumbling nonsensical words under her breath.

Every nerve ending screamed when a familiar, muscular arm caught her around the waist and pulled her back. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the corners of the white ANBU cloak flapping in the late morning breeze.

Goosebumps trailed down her neck when Itachi whispered against the shell of her ear, "Why are you running away wife?"

Shutting her eyes, she forced Mikoto's announcement from her mind. Sakura replied waspishly, "I'm not running away. I just didn't want to bother you, while you're on duty."

He released her, and she pivoted to face him. She found herself looking up into a white and red painted, animal mask.

A gloved finger ran a small path down the side of her cheek. He said to her, "I see my mother played a part in your choice of clothing today."

She asked softly, "Do you like it?"

Even though she couldn't see his face, she could see the glint in his eyes. Sakura had the feeling that he was smiling at her, beneath the mask.

Before she knew it, a grin was tugging at the corner of her lips.

He touched the Uchiha symbol at the edge of her sleeves, and looked at her again with an unreadable emotion that Sakura couldn't quite read. When she blinked it was gone.

"Did my mother coerce you into wearing that?" Itachi asked smoothly.

Sakura shook her head, not noticing the way his eyes widened at her quick response. She replied in a soft voice, "No, well... she did ask if I wanted to wear it. She gave it to me as a belated wedding gift." Fingering the edge of her sleeve, her thumb caressed the Uchiha crest. She quickly added, "I wore it because I wanted to."

She jostled, slightly startled when he touched her cheek again. Itachi hooked a finger beneath her chin to angle her face upward, and then peered for a moment into her eyes.

The piercing gleam in the depths of obsidian was starting to make her feel a little nervous. She asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"I want to kiss you." He starkly admitted.

_You love my son, _Mikoto's voice echoed in the recesses of her brain.

For the umpteenth time that day, Sakura blushed. Taking refuge in sarcasm, she arched a brow at him and announced breezily, "Well, that's just too bad isn't it? It seems you're too busy playing with your bedsheets and toy masks. I guess you'll just have to take a rain check."

"Oh, do you really think so?" He purred in a husky tone that sent shivers skating through her, even though the summer day was anything but cold.

The truth was, that at the particular moment, all activity in Sakura's brain slowed down substantially. She swallowed hard, when his fingers slid slowly up the column of her neck, only to gently bury his fingers into her hair. In a swift movement, he undid the silver hair clip holding the chignon, releasing the tresses so that it tumbled down her back, like a pink waterfall.

Sakura did a double take when she realized belatedly that his eyes were no longer black, but that eerie crimson, that his clan was known for. He lifted his mask revealing that he was openly smirking down at her. She protested halfheartedly, "You aren't supposed to..."

A gloved finger went to caress her lower lip. She shuddered, as delicious sensations followed the path of his touch.

She didn't even bother to wait for him to bend down. Burying her fingers into the white material of his ANBU uniform, she initiated the kiss. At first Itachi was taken aback, by the sudden, passionate gesture from his wife. After the initial shock wore off, he returned her fervor, his tongue surging deep into her mouth. Sakura, having momentarily lost her ability to speak, merely moaned softly against his lips.

His arms slowly wrapped around her, pulling her into a deep embrace, ensconcing her between the folds of his cloak.

He released the caress of his lips against hers and looked down into her face, at her kiss swollen lips. Itachi smiled.

Sakura breathed in deeply, his rainwater scent washing through her senses. Warmth swelled inside her heart, when he bent forward and delivered a kiss against her temple. His lips lingered for a moment, and when he straightened again, he slid the ANBU mask back into place.

A hand stole to her mouth, her fingertips coming to rest against the tender flesh as if to quell the tingling still present just beneath the skin.

She cleared her throat, and tried to ground her chaotic thoughts to a halt. Sakura asked in a husky voice, "You know, if you didn't want people to see who you were beneath that mask..." Her eyes flicked to the side, feeling a bit sheepish about their passionate display in public. But no one had seemed to notice or care, instead they were milling through the stands, busy with their own interests.

He shook his head, and then replied in a hoarse tone of his own, "They didn't."

"Wha-" She broke off when she watched the crimson drain from his eyes, leaving behind their normal onyx, gray specked hue.

"I'll explain genjutsu to you later," he promised softly, the corner of his lip tugging into a half smile that he knew she couldn't see.

Her eyes widened, when he pocketed her barrette. He stared at her for what felt like an eternity and then turned without another word, returning to the field where the ANBU teams were waiting for him. When he reached them, they all flickered out of view. She glanced over to where Naruto still stood, waiting patiently for her. Sakura realized that she'd forgotten all about him. She reddened slightly, for her complete lack of self-awareness.

"See?" Naruto came flouncing over, grinning from ear to ear, "You were both able to have a nice, long talk. Do you feel better now?"

Nice, long talk? The red hue in her face deepened, and spread to the roots of her hair. Fortunately, Naruto wasn't looking at her at that particular moment. She swept a hand through her bangs, and breathed in a deep breath to slow down the tempo of her heart.

She decided not to dwell on being embarrassed. Not one that was known for patience when curiosity started to eat away at her brain, Sakura asked the blond next to her, "What's a genjustu?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and chuckled, "You know Sakura – I'm not really the best person to ask about that sort of thing. I mean, I'm not the best at explaining things."

"Oh I'm sorry," Sakura apologized with a sigh, "I thought you'd know, since it's probably some ninja thing."

"I know what it is, but – well... I guess you really aren't looking for a textbook explanation anyway..." he trailed off, and pursed his lower lip, as he thought about the best way to word it. He finally sighed, "It's basically a technique that some shinobi can use to create illusions with chakra."

She frowned at him, thinking over what he said. Itachi's hint started to make sense. Sakura nibbled at her lower lip, "It seems like chakra can be manipulated in endless ways."

"Pretty much," Naruto agreed quickly. He added, "You should ask someone that's an expert in illusion techniques. You should just ask Itachi about, or even Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura thought about it for a moment, and then rolled her eyes heavenward while mumbling under her breath, "Ninjas are just too sneaky for my peace of mind."

Naruto sent her a strange look, but didn't bother to comment.

The odd pair, meandered somewhat aimlessly through the streets for a while. They stopped once in a while, to check out interesting vendors, and their wares.

"Oy Naruto!" A familiar voice called over.

The blond turned and grinned, "Hey Kiba, what's going on?"

"Not much. Just waiting 'til the festivities start. I'm surprised you aren't hanging around your old man," the inu-nin replied. His brown eyes flicked over to Sakura and he winked playfully, "I see you're doing better. You guys just checking things out?"

"Pretty much," Sakura smiled, and nodded. She looked down, when Akamaru came over to sit in front of her. He let out a soft woof, and almost seemed to grin at her. A small smile curved her lips at Akamaru's antics. Immediately, she reached over, and scratched the canine between the ears.

The feel of the woman's fingernails, gently massaging his scalp caused his tail to thump against the ground enthusiastically.

"Eh, my old man is busy," Naruto shrugged, and then shook his head, "I didn't want to get in the way."

Kiba reached over and clapped his hand on the blond's shoulder, "Well either way, I'm glad you're both here. Everyone's down at this sweet little barbeque stand, they asked me to find you two. It's lucky that you both happened to be together. Saves me the trouble of trying to track you down separately..."

"Sounds great! I'm starving. Old man Teuchi shut down the ramen shop for the day!" Naruto responded, with a slight whine to his voice.

Sakura laughed at Naruto's puppy dog expression, "Everyone needs a vacation, at least once in a while."

"Come on you knuckle head," Kiba gestured to Naruto and jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "I'm hungry. The sooner we join everyone, the better." He patted his stomach and winked over at Sakura. She chuckled at the inu-nin's antics and shook her head.

As they split through the crowd, Sakura's nose started to tilt slightly upward as she caught the scent of barbeque. Her mouth watered, and her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her that breakfast had long been digested.

In the distance she could already begin to make out the wooden picnic tables lined with people, eating plates piled high with food.

Naruto was the first to spot the group waiting for them. Well, with the exception of Chouji, who was already digging into a plate full of barbequed chicken and beef.

Tenten noticed their approach before the others. The brunette waved at Sakura cheerily, a bright and happy grin on her face.

Sakura smiled and lifted a hand in response to the kunoichi's enthusiasm.

Shikamaru stood up, and stepped away from the bench. He shoved his hands into his pockets, a half smile slashing his thin lips when Naruto excitedly elicited a little hop, spin wiggle when he noticed that there was a huge bowl of ramen waiting for him.

"Where did you get that? I thought the ramen shop was closed for the day!" Naruto practically bounced over to the table.

"It was troublesome, but I talked the old ramen stand owner into making you some. This is a celebration after all." The corners around Shikamaru's eyes crinkled with amusement at Naruto's barely contained enthusiasm.

Sakura chuckled softly when the blond reached over and hugged the usually stoic shinobi so tightly, that Shikamaru's face turned three different shades of red. She knew that for as much as Naruto loved ramen, the gesture from his friends meant so much more to him.

"So what do you plan on doing now that your father's become Hokage?" Tenten propped her chin on her hand, her brown eyes gazing earnestly at Naruto from across the table.

"What do you mean?" Naruto's brows winged down, his usually cheerful blue gaze, turning slightly irritated.

Shino sighed behind the high collar of his dark gray coat, "You know as well as the rest of us, that being the son of the Hokage will be a demanding position to be in. Will you step down from your current position, and become more active in civil affairs?"

Naruto snorted loudly and rolled his eyes tellingly. "My old man doesn't need that kind of help from me. I'm his son, but c'mon guys. Can you even see me doing something like that? I've never been one to follow people's expectations anyways. My father knows that..."

Rock Lee suddenly broke in, surprising Sakura when he didn't go off on a prose heavy tangent, "I can't say I'm surprised, but I have to admit it shocks me that you don't desire to assist him at all. After all, even though your clan is so small – you should still have..." His voice trailed away, when he realized that he was about to cross the line.

Neji who was sitting next to Tenten, arched a quizzical brow at Rock Lee, but didn't bother to comment on his teammate's outburst.

Sakura didn't quite know what was going on, but she sat down next to Naruto. Laying a comforting hand on his shoulder, she genuinely smiled at him when he turned to look at her. Sakura started to chew on her lower lip nervously when she realized that everyone was watching her. She started tentatively, "I don't know anything about your traditions, but I think I understand what you're trying to say. Err... I think I do anyway."

Naruto chuckled and shook his head. Warmth seeped back into his voice, "Somehow I expected you to say something like that Sakura... but what do you really want to say to me?" He could see the turmoil in her expressive green eyes. He couldn't help but wonder why she was looking at him with such a morose expression.

It wasn't so long ago, that Sakura felt like she was drowning in the wake of her parents' shadows. However, the people around her hadn't told her that she should be proud of her father's accomplishments as a shrine warrior. Instead, they had demanded that she forget the birthright she inherited from her mother.

The sadness in her gaze melted away, leaving behind a steely glint. Her mouth firmed and she squeezed his shoulder gently, "You are you Naruto. You aren't someone that wants to be defined by what your father is about to become." She stood to her feet, no longer feeling hungry. Sakura slowly released her grip on him, holding his gaze with hers, "Stay the way you are."

She turned to exit the premises, deciding that she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Just as she was about to walk away, Kiba ground out not bothering to hide his irritation, "You leaving already? Come back here and eat dammit. I didn't bust my ass trying to find you, just so you can bail on us."

Akamaru woofed at her for good measure.

Sakura glanced over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the occupants at the table. Several pairs of expectant faces stared back at her, each with varying sets of emotions. Even Chouji glanced up from his plate of food, shooting her a sauce basted frown.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin, "Sorry Sakura. I didn't mean to run you off with my sour mood. You should stay..."

Finally, her mouth twisted into a half smile, "I'm just going to go for a walk. I'll meet up with you guys later."

No one pressed further, as the mysterious woman walked away.

The smile that had tried to form, disappeared completely. She knew that everyone probably thought she was rude, but she hadn't wanted anyone to witness the turmoil, that she knew showed on her face.

Once she was well always from the crowds, she stopped and trained her gaze on the sparse tufts of clouds drifting by. By all rights, it was a beautiful day. But that didn't mean, she was any less worried about Hana. Thinking about her parents, always inevitably led to thoughts of her missing companion. No, her family member. Despite all that happened, Hana would always be family to her.

Even the cheerfulness of the wind spirits dancing around her, did not make her feel any better.

"Ugh," Sakura muttered, while burying an agitated hand into her hair, mussing it up even further. _I can't wait until I can get my emotions under control again, _she mused.

Again, she began to wander, effortlessly cutting through the throngs of people milling by. Some faces she recognized, and there were many others she did not. She realized that she was no longer mentally dividing people by original residents of Ixion, to the citizens that moved in with the Konoha Alliance.

"It didn't take me long," she mumbled to herself, a self-deprecating grimace contorting her face.

"Talking to yourself again sister-in-law," a dry, male voice pulled her from her reverie.

She halted, and lifted her chin at Sasuke's approach. A low chuckle escaped past her lips, "But of course, brother-in-law. It's not like me to behave like a normal person."

He responded by rolling his eyes at her.

"If you're looking for everyone. They are about three or four blocks over, eating barbeque," Sakura gesticulated behind her, in an offhanded manner.

"Why aren't you with them?" An aristocratic ebony brow arched down at her.

"I'm not hungry," Sakura responded immediately. She flushed slightly when her stomach growled loudly in protest.

She half-expected him to smirk at her, or make a small joke at her expense. He drew closer, and caught her off guard. He grasped her chin gently, and peered down into her face. The piercing scrutiny made her feel uneasy. Sakura tried to jerk back out of his hold, but his fingers only tightened to hold her in place.

She snapped waspishly, "Let go of me, dammit!"

Sasuke didn't respond, instead he released her when he was satisfied with whatever he was looking for. He asked her coolly, "What's wrong with you?"

Sakura recoiled at the perceptive question. Still peeved by his high-handed behavior, she turned her nose up at him, "Nothing. I'm just taking a walk."

"You're not a very good liar."

She felt déjà vu coming on. Deciding that trying to be polite wasn't going to work, she snapped angrily, "It's none of your damn business."

He pointedly ignored her cantankerous attitude. Sasuke released her and crossed his arms. He leaned against the building behind him, "You haven't been the same since you've returned."

"Being kidnapped can do that to a person," Sakura countered, frowning at the obstinate male. It must run in the family, she thought not bothering to hide her aggravation.

Sasuke sighed, but then pinned her with a hard look. "Look. I can tell that somethings been bothering you. I know you couldn't care less what I think, but I know you're not stupid. You don't think Itachi doesn't notice? I really don't care what you do, but would you at least consider confiding in him?"

Sakura gave the Uchiha a pained look, "It's not that easy."

He ran a hand through his spiky hair. He looked up, averting his gaze from her face. "It's not easy for him to watch and do nothing. My brother is very good at reading people, and you're not any good at hiding your emotions."

"You have quite the older brother complex," Sakura commented, her agitation giving way to impatience. Arguing with Sasuke would get her nowhere, she realized belatedly.

"He saved my life."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly at Sasuke's terse reply.

"I owe him, but it's much more than just that," his tone lightened considerably, losing the terse timbre.

"I can appreciate what you're trying to say, but I –" Sakura faltered and shook her head.

Sasuke changed the subject suddenly. His voice was a near whisper when he spoke again, "Do you know, that as soon as Itachi found out that you'd been taken away, he started a pursuit squad immediately? I've never seen my brother behave like that, except one other time. And that was when..." He paused, his dark eyes narrowed sharply on her face. He continued, "When one of my cousins kidnapped me, just to get to Itachi."

Her hand covered her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. She shut her eyes. Her heart clenched for her husband. It was no wonder, it was so hard for him to trust anyone. Sakura ducked her head, and looked away, no longer able to look Sasuke in the eye. For some reason, his words were starting to prick at her conscious, making her feel guilty.

"But I digress," Sasuke shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. "There was a point when we were attempting to track you, that the trail disappeared completely. It was almost like you had vanished into thin air."

Malachite orbs started to burn, and shimmer with tears.

"Shikamaru mentioned that he recalled something similar happening before," Sasuke continued to press, unrelenting until he made his point.

Damp lashes swept downward, her eyelids falling half-mast in an attempt to hide what she felt.

"Even after you were found, Shikamaru and Kiba came to the compound to speak to Itachi. My brother was actually asleep when they came over. Did he tell you, that he couldn't sleep the night you were gone?" Sasuke didn't add that, no one had been allowed to sleep that evening. Itachi had restlessly paced nearly until the dawn, and even though his brother's steps had been silent. The rest of the family had known.

She shook her head. No, Itachi hadn't told her that.

"No... Well anyway," Sasuke drew away from the wall, and stepped closer. He stared relentlessly down into her upturned face, "I took the message for my brother. Apparently, the occurrence that Shikamaru remembered, actually only happened one time. Do you know when that was?"

Sakura averted her gaze. She didn't want to know the answer. She knew Sasuke would tell her anyway. Her voice was a hoarse, hushed whisper, "No, I don't."

"It was when, they were hired to investigate your parents' murder. Apparently the attacker's trail disappeared, and that was the reason why they had to drop the mission."

Her lips parted slightly, to protest, to at least deny something. Anything. But the words died on her lips.

"The most interesting thing about all this, is that Itachi asked me to keep quiet about it. He didn't want me to say anything to you either. He hasn't even reported this to the Hokage, even though he should have. You know why?" Sasuke's expression had long grown grim.

Sakura's sharp intake of breath gave him the answer he was looking for.

"He wants you to come to him, because he wants to earn your trust."

Her fingers went to grip the pendant that lay hidden beneath the folds of the yukata. She felt the bump beneath the smooth material. Sakura remembered her lofty words to Itachi about trust. She'd never thought of herself as a hypocrite. But at this exact moment in her life, that's exactly what she was. The tears she'd been holding back, began to fall one by one. The moisture slowly slid down her cheeks, and dripped off of her chin. She didn't bother to wipe them away.

She knew that Sasuke hadn't told her all this to help her. But it didn't matter. Sakura nodded, a small smile curving her lips, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," he waved away her gratitude and shook his head at her. "Should you even be here?"

"Where is he?" She choked out around the growing lump in her throat.

Sasuke smirked at her, and jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "Just go that way. You'll find him. He just got off duty a little while ago."

This time, Sakura didn't bother to thank her brother-in-law. Instead, she started to trek in the direction he indicated. As she walked, she mulled over everything Sasuke had told her. She shook her head, ashamed of herself. She'd truly thought that it would cause more harm than good if she voiced what had happened out loud to anyone.

It had eaten away at her heart, but she had resolved to act as if the words Shukaku had spoken had never existed. Deep down, she had known it wouldn't work. She had already instinctively known on some level, that they were true. In her own way, she tried to protect not only herself, but those around her; however in the end, it had only hurt her and her most precious person. She had truly believed that there were some things, that were better not knowing. Yet that hadn't been true at all.

To her, even now, her words of wisdom to Naruto seemed to fall uselessly hollow. She had spoken to him from her heart, but in the end, with the way she'd been guarding her emotions. They had been probably too weak to reach him. She should have taken her own advice. She had told him, that he wasn't defined by what people said he was, or who is father was about to become. She had allowed the things spoken by an enemy pierce her heart. Sakura had lost the strength of will to be herself. She had tried to hide from the truth.

Itachi had seen her after the interrogation with Ibiki. He had witnessed the storm that had raged in the room, due to her distraught and uncontrollable emotions. She should have known that he'd be affected by her odd behavior. Sakura knew that on some level, he cared. _Did Itachi tell you, that he couldn't sleep the night you were gone? _Sasuke's admonishing voice echoed in the recesses of her brain.

Her pace quickened substantially. The words that she had tried to bury, to keep hidden in the darkness of her heart, was wanting to burst out and be set free.

The people around her began to blur around her, becoming only smeared color. Talking to Itachi, was the only thing that mattered to her in that moment. Her chin whipped back and forth, as she looked for him. Her pace never faltered even as sweat began to bead on her brow. Her breathing grew labored as the seemingly countless city blocks passed her by.

The cheerfulness around her, didn't touch her senses any longer. Unbeknownst to her, yellow chakra tendrils began to exude from her, and the elemental spirits drew closer to her as if to comfort her. Sakura didn't notice. The important event that would be starting soon, had long lost any meaning to her. She tried to search for his chakra signature, but with so many people around, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Exasperation clawed at her insides when she started to feel like she would be stuck searching forever. And then, she spotted him. Itachi had shed the white cowl, and mask. However, he had left on the gray work vest, along with the wakizashi blade and silver arm guards. It was like he was still on partial duty, Sakura thought privately to herself.

As if sensing her presence, he turned away from the other shinobi he'd been in conversation with and looked straight at her. Sakura suddenly felt as if she'd been struck with tunnel vision. She knew that he was probably confused by the tears streaking her face. It was only a couple hours ago, that they'd seen each other.

She halted abruptly, feeling uncertain about just walking up to him, and letting it all out. Some part of self-preservation was starting to kick in.

Onyx orbs narrowed. He turned back towards his companions to politely excuse himself. Then in long, fluid strides, he started to walk in her direction.

Resolve once again awoke in Sakura. She smiled at him, past the drying tears on her face and in contrast, took delicate, feminine steps towards him. It was almost like she was being magnetically pulled to him, she mused absentmindedly.

Sakura didn't notice when two men, that she would have noticed otherwise and recognized, started to move towards her. She blinked thrice, when she suddenly found her path blocked by a pair of male chests. When she tried to step around them, with a mumbled apology, a strong hand reached out and tightly gripped her upper arm.

Her senses screamed at her, and warning bells went off inside her mind.

Lifting her chin, her pupils dilated in pure, unadulterated fear when sluggish recognition finally made the connection.

Waves of bloody hued crimson and dark honey blond tresses danced on the breeze. Icy vermillion eyes met malachite orbs. Deep inside herself, Sakura screamed.

The falsely warm, honeyed voice that she'd tried to forget, greeted her with cold cheerfulness, "Hello there, Kitten. Did you miss us?"

She had known deep down, that they'd come for her again. Sakura hadn't expected it to be so soon.

Fate apparently had other plans.

The Bijuu had arrived.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: **All right, now that we are in the full swing of things, I'm going to give credit where credit is due. The creation of the Bijuu in these human forms was done in part by myself and **Nostawen Allesiel. **I'm certain that other human designs have been made for these creatures in the past and so it's not like I believe that it was just our idea, (I did so once in Free Fall) **However**, these particular renditions of the Bijuu were and are from our creative minds, and therefore, belong to us. Thanks.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 21**

Time seemed to freeze over, as Sakura stared helplessly into a pair of unrelenting, ruddy crimson orbs. Her surroundings melted away, and it was as if the world contained only her and the two Bijuu males that stood in front of her.

The Bijuu's interesting state of dress, drew her attention. They were both ensconced in kimonos; Kyuubi's a rich onyx and deep burgundy thread. Shukaku's a dark amber and forest green stitching. Scrolling embroidery trailed down the center of each lapel, the same design was also emblazoned on the hems that nearly brushed the ground. The threads that weaved in and out of the material, was varying shades of the responding hues, lending each kimono an old world feel.

Each male carried an elegantly curved sword at their side, the hilts emblazoned with each Bijuu's crest. Shukaku's dark blond tresses was tied back into a low slung ponytail, that was swaying on the latent energy that embodied him like a cloak of wind.

Kyuubi's vermillion tresses was left loose, just like the previous time she'd seen him, except that now, the hair was sectioned off into nine miniature tails at the tips with silver clips. The way they carried themselves, was a lot like what she imagined great generals preparing for war would look like. That thought alone, chilled her to the bone.

How no one sensed the vast malevolent chakra entering the village, Sakura would never know. How she had almost strode past the two males, without noticing their presence was even more mind boggling. She gulped, and tried to pull herself free from the tanuki's fiercely tight grasp. He released her, a manic grin twisting his thin lips.

She quickly backed away, cradling her wrist tenderly. She knew that they could see the fear on her face.

Suddenly a flicker of color beside her drew her attention momentarily away from her enemies, and immediately she was shielded behind Itachi.

Her husband's entire body was taunt, his hand hovering over his shoulder, his fingertips curled around the hilt of his wakizashi blade.

"Aww isn't that adorable? That's one of yours, if I'm not mistaken," the tanuki shot to the kitsune at his side with a smirk.

Sakura noticed when Itachi lifted his other hand, and pointed two fingers upwards. Almost immediately the Bijuu were surrounded by ANBU. The crowds milling through the streets gasped and backed away.

A little girl was so startled by her mother's sudden jerk on her hand, that she lost her grip on her red balloon, a vendor just gave her. The balloon floated out of reach, even as the little girl tried to grab for it. Within moments, it surpassed the height of the surrounding homes. Almost immediately tears pooled in her limpid brown eyes, and the little girl started to sob loudly.

It was ironic but, Sakura knew exactly how that little girl felt.

Kyuubi met Sakura's fearful gaze with a dark smile. He tilted his head to the side, "Do you really want to include these people in our personal battle, little one?"

He didn't have to say it. Sakura knew a threat when she heard it.

Apparently Itachi also recognized it for what it was. He asked her tersely, "Do you know these men?"

Sakura hesitated, and then remembering her earlier resolve to tell Itachi the truth, she nodded without hesitation, "Yes, I know them."

"Who are they?"

"They are the something that no one would believe." Sakura told him in a halting, hushed voice. She knew that it was more than likely that he had read the report about her interrogation.

Itachi spared her a quick glance and in it, Sakura could see that he already caught on to what she was saying.

She knew what he had to be thinking. What was there not to believe? They were here, weren't they? She mentally cursed the Bijuu's horrible timing.

In the distance, a bell rang loudly, indicating that it was time for the next Hokage's ceremony. She was at a complete loss, at what to do.

Sakura knew that her time was up. She tried to shoulder past Itachi, but he gripped her elbow, and pulled her back.

The ANBU surrounding the Bijuu were suddenly joined by several members of the Konoha Military Police Force, including her father-in-law. She watched father and son exchange pointed looks. Her heart sank. She knew that Kyuubi and Shukaku were merely toying with them all. They could completely flatten the village without batting an eyelash. She knew that. They knew that. But the shinobi surrounding them were completely clueless.

If the ANBU attacked them, it would be very much like her trying to best a Guardian. Practically impossible, if that.

"So what will it be?" Kyuubi arched a brow at her, a fang peeking over his lower lip when he smirked at her.

"Please, let me go," Sakura begged Itachi almost desperately.

His grip only grew firmer. He replied coolly, his grip on her growing firmer, "No."

Fugaku announced in a loud voice, "You are causing a civil disturbance. We are here to escort you out of the village, however if you resist, then you will be apprehended and arrested. Will you come willingly?"

At that, the ANBU and the Military Police unsheathed their weapons and pointed them at the intruders.

Shukaku threw back his head and laughed at that. He nudged Kyuubi with his elbow, "Can I just kill a few of them?"

"That's up to her," Kyuubi pointed to Sakura.

Sakura wilted on the inside when she was suddenly under the intense scrutiny of the people around her.

She heard the hushed murmurs around her, "I told you, she was a witch." Or, "The witch is finally cursing us."

The shinobi merely waited for her to respond.

"If I cooperate with you, you'll spare them?" She was relieved that her voice didn't crack under the stress of her chaotic emotions.

"What do you think you are you doing?" Itachi asked her, in an emotionless tone that wrenched her heart. She could almost hear the fragile trust they'd been so carefully building cracking beneath the weight of these turn of events.

Sakura wished Hana was here. Somehow, despite everything, Sakura believed that the feline would know what to do. Here, the Bijuu had her backed against a wall she couldn't overcome alone.

In a choked voice she admitted to him, "I really wanted to tell you the truth. I'm sorry, but I have to do this..."

She didn't want to involve her new friends, or the man she loved in this.

Sakura swept her free hand in a semi circle, commanding the wind chakra to obey. Whispers tickled the lobes of her ears, and Itachi was suddenly pushed back by the force of a strong gale.

"Oh, so you will actually protect them..." Shukaku scoffed openly at her, "Interesting."

She held his golden eyes, her head tilting to the side defiantly. Lifting her hand, she activated her bond with the Guardians. Yellow liquid trailed down her arm, and she squeezed her hand into a fist. The chakra dripped, and created a pool at her feet. Her staff formed in her hand, and even as she moved to step forward, the vines were trailing up her neck, and curling in an intricate spiral over her cheeks. The whites of her eyes melted away, leaving rippling green behind.

Next she spoke to the earth, and jabbing the head of the staff towards the heavens, the ground cracked and fissured, expanding so that the shinobi surrounding the Bijuu had to back up several steps.

"Are you siding with them?" Fugaku demanded from the other side of the fissure she had created, "Just because you are my daughter in law, doesn't mean that I won't arrest you for criminal behavior."

Sakura ignored him, keeping her gaze locked with Kyuubi's blood red orbs. She didn't want to look back at Itachi. She had the feeling that the expression on his face, might possibly break her heart.

"I won't allow you to..." Itachi made to move for her again, but the wind spirits reacted before he could touch her. His hand was pushed back.

Itachi's eyes widened when he heard her whispered apology, "I'm sorry."

She looked over her shoulder at him, whirling malachite orbs brimming with tears. She shook her head, "You could have every shinobi in this village attack them, and it would do absolutely nothing but get them all killed."

"Who are they?" He asked her again in a gentler tone.

"So you didn't run home to tattle?" Shukaku mocked her, enjoying the pained expression contorting her features.

"I suppose we should have introduced ourselves," Kyuubi glanced over at the ichibi with an amused smirk.

Itachi pointedly ignored them, his sharingan activated orbs searching his wife's face. He chalked down their chatter as unimportant, and more than likely insane. There was a sad resignation that contorted her features.

"They are the Bijuu. Kyuubi-sama and Shukaku-sama," Sakura finally got out.

Itachi's eyes widened even further. She could see the disbelief in his countenance and she wilted on the inside. Who could blame him? She hadn't believed it initially either.

They were interrupted by a firm, stern voice, "Why are all of you just standing around and gawking?"

A flicker of white and red, appeared to the side amongst the crowd. Both Hokages past and present, stepped forward glaring openly at the ANBU and Konoha Military officers who hadn't moved to attack the unknown intruders.

Sakura slowly shut her eyes, this was going to get out of hand fast now that the Hokages had arrived.

Her friends that had been at the barbeque stand, including Sasuke appeared on the rooftops surrounding the Bijuu. Tenten and Hinata moved in to direct the civilians away from the scene. Word travels fast amongst shinobi, Sakura thought privately.

Shukaku mocked the cloaked nin surrounding them, "Yes, why aren't you doing anything about us?" His voice dripped with venom that promised death, blood, and violence.

Kyuubi remained silent throughout the entire exchange. Neither Bijuu even bothered to draw their weapons. Sakura knew they wouldn't need to.

Minato issued a swift command, "If you continue to refuse to leave this village. We will have no other choice than to ensure your compliance."

At this threat, Shukaku chuckled darkly.

Kyuubi's gaze trailed away from Sakura, to land on the Fourth Hokage. Red eyes studied Naruto's father, "Do not assume that you have the right to order me to do anything."

She sighed audibly. Sakura knew that, if things continued as they were, it would only end badly. Her eyes narrowed on the Bijuu in front of her, "You came here for me perhaps? Or am I being too arrogant in assuming that I could even be considered useful somehow?"

When Minato's stern gaze fell on her, she knew that if she didn't tread carefully, she really would be lumped in as a criminal along with the Bijuu.

Kyuubi stepped forward, the pressure of his chakra, pushing everyone all back. The pressure was so great, that some shinobi were forced down to their bellies face down. He said in no uncertain terms, "Whoever chooses to stand in my way, I will not have any mercy for."

This threat had all the shinobi tensing.

Everyone stood to their feet again, even after that display of power and readied themselves to attack at the Hokage's command.

Sakura wasn't going to have any of it. She faced the Bijuu again. Her sharp voice cut through the silence, "Enough of this!"

"I'm ordering you to remain silent," Minato ordered her briskly.

"Oh yeah? What if I refuse to? Are you going to arrest me? I'm sorry but this is getting to the point of being ridiculous. What are you going to do? Do you really plan on attacking them?" She crossed her arms, and met the blue eyes that were a mirror image of Naruto's azure orbs. The way his eyes narrowed on her, made her cringe on the inside. She knew that if she survived all this, she would probably be sorry for mouthing off. But in the grand scheme of things, it really didn't matter.

"Take her away and place her under house arrest Uchiha," Minato ordered Itachi coldly, who was still standing to the side of her.

Itachi promptly complied, moving to blockade her from the Bijuu. He commanded her abruptly, "Stand down Sakura, or I will be forced to make you obey."

When Sakura made no move to comply, his countenance hardened substantially. She shook her head and responded in a small voice, "I can't."

"This is your final warning," he started to reach for her again, but Sakura was still shielded from his touch by the wind spirits.

Sakura looked him straight in the eye, regardless of how she felt on the inside. She reminded him, speaking loud enough for all to hear, "This is the land of _my _people. I will protect it, how I see fit. It is _my _birthright."

"What in the hell are you trying to do Sakura?" Naruto yelled at her from his position on the roof to her right, "You should just do as you're told right now! Don't make it worse!"

A shadow of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but she didn't respond. She looked past Itachi's frame to the Bijuu beyond him. Her eyes pleaded with the powerful male to intervene. If things continued as they were, chaos would erupt even further at the price of the people around her.

Kyuubi ordered the tanuki, while gesturing to the shinobi behind Sakura, "Make certain that we will not be interrupted, any longer. This is growing tiresome." He could have easily slaughtered those who surrounded them, but he knew that if he did so, that the little shaman wouldn't agree to anything.

Shukaku rolled his eyes, but then lifted a clawed hand to comply. The tanuki made a grand sweeping gesture that caused the wind around him to rise and dance on his order. With a swift command, everyone was thrust back by the force of hurricane strength winds with the exception of Sakura. A shield of wind rose up, cutting off any possible avenues of attack. It encircled her and her opponent, the huge twisting vortex carving deep trenches into the earth and tearing into the buildings around them, and toppling vendor carts still laden with goods to the side, like a forgotten child's toy.

The tanuki floated upward, so that he could ensure that he got a good view of the proceedings.

On the other side of the wind wall, several of the shinobi threw kunai at the barrier, only to see their weapons fling backwards, to uselessly hit the ground.

Itachi had never felt so helpless in his life. He was berating himself for not reacting sooner. They were all forced to watch helplessly, a position that any shinobi worth his salt, hated with a passion. He could see his wife on the other side, trying her best to be brave. He could see the fear in her posture. Why did she have to be so damn stubborn? Why did she believe that she was the only one that could handle this volatile situation?

"What do you know about this Captain? I want you to report it now!"

Itachi glanced at Minato, who had just given him the order. He knew that the next words out of his mouth would sound ridiculous. He said them anyway, "My wife hinted that these men are in fact – the Bijuu."

"The what?" Minato Uzumaki looked at the Uchiha, arching a brow at him not bothering to hide his disbelief, "I think you'd best start at the beginning. Tell us everything you know."

In a halting, and uncharacteristically uncertain voice; Itachi complied and told him the little that he did know, along with the pieces of information that had occurred with Sakura's recent kidnapping.

Meanwhile, on the inside of the wind barrier, Sakura asked the Kyuubi, "So why have you come? Couldn't you have been more subtle?"

"If you hadn't escaped, and stayed put like a good little girl, then this wouldn't have happened," Kyuubi responded with a half shrug. He added, with a dark smirk, "I didn't realize that you would move to protect them from us."

"I don't know what happened in the past. Obviously, no one has bothered to tell me the truth. However, I've already told Shukaku-sama, that I refuse to be caught up in hate," Sakura slowly shook her head.

The grin he sent her, held a cruel edge to it that made her shudder. He tilted his head, as if he was studying a very interesting insect that happened to cross his path. Kyuubi started to stride towards her, making her want to shrink inside herself. When he spoke again, her skin crawled, "Oh? It will be very interesting to see if the shinobi will feel the same, after all this is done. No?"

"Are you going to tell me why you're actually here, or did you just come here to kill time?" _Or me? _She couldn't help the morbid thought from slipping through. Sakura adopted the arrogant mask, she had often adorned during her 'witch' days. She quipped lightly, "Obviously neither of you apparently have anything better to do."

A clawed hand gripped her upper arm and lifted her off of her feet. She winced when sharp pain shot down the length of her limb. She struggled, and even thrashed wildly in an attempt to free herself. Kyuubi sneered up into face, "You're just a baby, by shaman standards aren't you? I bet your chakra pathways hadn't matured, until just recently. You really don't know anything do you?"

Hopelessness wrapped itself firmly around her heart. There was no way she could face them, and expect to come out unscathed.

"Put her down," A firm feminine voice, Sakura hadn't heard in what felt like forever commanded fiercely.

Sakura was shocked when the Kyuubi complied. He released her, and her backside was the first part of her to meet the ground. Her staff fell from numb fingertips, and disappeared in a yellow puff of smoke. She felt bruised but Sakura didn't care, she turned over, still on her hands and knees, "Hana! Is that actually you? What are doing here?" Green eyes roamed over the cat, slowly sauntering towards them. She stopped several feet away, and sat on her haunches.

"Hana? Is that what you go by now?" Shukaku took that moment, to lower himself back down to ground level.

"The little traitor finally shows her face," Kyuubi smirked at the cat. He laughed, but the sound held no trace of humor, "I almost can't believe that you decided to steal one of Nekomata's bodies."

"She allowed me to borrow it," Hana calmly replied to the kitsune, "Not all of the Bijuu agreed with your ideas, Kyuubi. Are you getting so old that senility is starting to eat what little brains that you may actually have left?"

"I'm not here to play games with you. You know why I'm here. Don't force me to burn this entire village to the ground, to force the truth out of you," Kyuubi's fangs were starting to poke out over his lower lip.

"You would really go that far?" Hana asked the imposing male quietly. Her whiskers quivered, when she asked again, "You would destroy the ancestors of your children?"

"My children?" He scoffed openly at the feline, "They were just humans I gave power to because they swore to be useful to me. Isn't that how the Guardian's view their pathetic little shamans?"

"No, you wouldn't understand how we feel," Hana replied evenly, "You've long closed your eyes to the truth."

Sakura gaped, her mouth dropped open. She didn't care that she probably looked absolutely ridiculous. She stuttered, "You – you mean that you are - you are..." Her mind reeled. She told herself, that she shouldn't be surprised by this new piece of information. Actually, Hana being a Guardian, would explain a lot of things. It made sense now why only a shaman and the Bijuu were able to speak to her.

Hana spared her a swift glance. She told Sakura softly, "You do not belong here."

Before Sakura had time to react, the wind around her picked up and she was thrust back. Shukaku's barrier opened and she went tumbling out. As soon as she was on the other side, it shut closed.

Sakura ignored the shinobi that surrounded her. They had used her to get to Hana, she realized belatedly. She tried to crawl back towards the battle that she knew was about to be waged on the other side. Unlike her, Hana wouldn't give the Bijuu whatever it was that they wanted, even if it meant the lives of the surrounding populace. That knowledge in itself scared her.

Itachi stopped her before she got far. He gripped her up, and held her against his chest. She struggled, and cried out weakly, "Let me go!"

He didn't respond and looked at Minato Uzumaki, quirking a brow in askance.

Two trails of tears tracked down her cheeks, "Hana no! I can't. No, it's not... possible! I have to help her! She's my..."

Suddenly she was being shook. Blinking, she peered up into her husband's face. She shut her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was aware of his presence. The green melted away, leaving the whites of her eyes. The vines receded down her neck, disappearing completely.

Sakura looked at Minato, when he approached. He cleared his throat, and leveled a stern look at her, "Did you find out what they're here for?"

She shook her head, "No. I thought they were after me at first, because the Kyuubi was the one who had me kidnapped. But – it seems that I was just a means to an end. The only one who would know is..." she bit her lower lip and hesitated.

"Is...?" Minato insisted.

"Hana."

"Whose Hana?" He directed the next question to Itachi instead of her.

Itachi's visage became sullen. He pointed to the vortex of wind, "She is speaking of the cat."

"Why did you fail to report this information?" The Sandaime stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back. He added with a frown, "We could have worked to prevent this from happening."

"I didn't want to believe it. I hadn't wanted to accept it. But even if I had told you, there's absolutely nothing you could have done to prevent any of this," Sakura shook her head, and buried her face against Itachi's chest, wishing that this day was only a bad dream. Itachi's strong arms tightened around her, lending her little comfort. She knew that he was only holding on to make certain she didn't run off again.

"Why? You really do believe those men are Bijuu?" the Fourth Hokage asked her in a dangerously soft voice.

"I don't just believe it. They _are _the Bijuu," Sakura insisted fervently.

"That's just an old wives tale. They don't exist," Fugaku suddenly spoke up from the side, "You're behavior is unacceptable."

Sakura looked away from the shinobi surrounding her, staring into the depths past the wind blockade. She couldn't really make what was happening, all she could see was flashes of light, and blurred figures appearing and disappearing.

"Am I still under orders to place her under house arrest?" Itachi asked the new Hokage, his crimson eyes wintry cold with determination.

"Not yet," Minato held up his hand and shook his head, "She is the only person who knows anything about what's going on, even if what she says borders on ridiculously impossible."

Sakura straightened, and pushed herself out of Itachi's hold. He tentatively released her, while maintaining a sharp eye on her. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, and she shook her head, "Don't you understand? It's not ridiculous. I mean, look at that..." she gestured wildly at the spiraling wind, "Isn't that proof enough? Can't you feel that malevolent chakra that almost makes you feel like your going to suffocate? Didn't you see the way the so called powerful shinobi were forced to the ground by the sheer force of their chakra? They didn't even blink when they did it. Even you had a hard time staying on your feet, didn't you?"

"So you really were trying to _protect _everyone?" Minato arched a brow at her, folding his arms against his chest.

"They could level this place to the ground, and everyone in it. Of course I was trying to stop that from happening!" Sakura shot back heatedly.

Fugaku glared at her for her impertinence, but he held his tongue in the presence of the Hokage. He knew that Minato was trying to fish for information from the obstinate girl. He was regretting his decision to allow his son to marry the little troublemaker with every passing second. She'd been nothing but trouble, since day one.

Minato made several hand gestures, and immediately the shinobi on the rooftops, jumped down and gathered around them.

Sakura's troubled green eyes scanned the group of nin that included her friends, and lastly her husband.

The next thing out of the Yondaime's mouth shocked her, "Apparently I'm being thrown a learning curve on my first day as your new Hokage."

Silence ensued at his poor attempt at humor.

"According to this young lady, the men on the other side of the barrier, are very powerful opponents who may possibly have the ability to destroy Konoha. Well, she maintains that they are the Bijuu, but whether that's true or not, is unimportant right now..."

He turned to her again, "My son Naruto mentioned to me, that you have interesting abilities. Do you think that might be able to take down the barrier?"

"Well," she bit at her lower lip nervously, "It's probably impossible - but even if I can. What are you planning to do?"

"What do you think, Sakura?" Naruto moved towards her, a goofy grin curving his lips, "We're going to kick their ass so hard – they'll never step foot in Konoha again."

"This is our home too, ya know?" Tenten pulled her attention away from Naruto, "We have every right to protect it, just like you do."

"We'll show them the power of our youth!" Lee declared, splaying his fingers in a victory sign.

Neji and Sasuke both nodded at Lee's words, their faces masks of hard determination.

She looked around, noticing that everyone had gathered to help, including the squad leaders. A small ray of hope started to peek beneath the feeling of hopelessness that had preyed on her heart.

Even Ino was stepping up next to Shikamaru, Chouji, and Shino into a battle ready stance.

She knew that it was likely that Kakashi and Gai, was probably in ANBU uniform.

Everyone was there. She wasn't alone. Could they actually do this? She honestly didn't think they had a chance in hell.

Sakura breathed in a deep drag of air to calm her nerves. She met the Hokage's hard blue gaze head on, trying to clamp down on the nervous butterflies dancing in her stomach, "Are you certain that this is what you want?"

"We won't know until you try," was the immediate response.

"It's worse if you don't even bother to help, Ugly," Sai quipped at her, from beside Sasuke.

Despite everything going on, Sakura managed to roll her eyes and chuckle hoarsely at the stoic nin's ridiculous attempt to encourage her.

She peered over at Itachi uncertainly. He slowly dipped his head at her in agreement, and finally Sakura stepped forward. This time, she didn't bother to summon her staff to her, instead she only activated the bond. As the leaves wound up her face, spiraling into an intricate curling pattern over her pale cheek, she shut her eyes and called upon her link with the Guardians.

_Will you help me?_

Warmth curled through her in response to her plea. Stepping forward, she held up both hands, when she was reminded by the voice of the great bird, _Did you not make a pact with the elemental lords? Do not forget who you are child._

A small smile curved her lips, and she nodded even though the conversation was going on inside her, drawing a few strange looks from the kunoichi and shinobi standing around her.

Sakura almost smacked her forehead with the heel of her palm. Of course, the elemental lords had already promised to help her, if she ever asked for it.

With renewed hope, Sakura's trembling stilled, and she ignored the fact that Hana was still fighting alone on the other side. From deep within, Sakura tugged at the bond, and within seconds Lord Sussurus answered her in his hurried, wispy voice, _My aid is required?_

_Yes, please. This barrier of wind before me, I need it to come down so I can pass._

The silence in her soul, nearly engulfed her senses.

Before her, the wind slowly started to die away and slow down.

"She's actually able to do it," Tenten murmured in a hushed voice.

Immediately the Hokage, starting to throw out orders to the nin. Even the Sandaime was readying himself for the impending battle.

However Sakura was oblivious to all this, as the whispers from within the Guardian's sanctum in her soul, continued to speak to her. The breeze around her picked up, and the swell of voices arose from the earth, making the shinobi surrounding her with the exception of Itachi and team seven feel nervous.

Unfurling her fingers, she splayed her palms out, listening to Lord Susurrus' soothing airy words to her.

The barrier flickered as if to protest, and finally, the swirling gale like winds stopped. The whispers slowly ebbed away as if they'd never been.

As she came back to her senses, she could feel the flare of chakra around her, as the shinobi started to summon various jutsus to ready for an all out attack.

Sakura looked past everyone, searching for Hana. Her breath stilled in her throat, when she seen that Kyuubi had the feline by the neck, her furry body limp in his clawed grasp.

"Hana!" Burst from her throat, and surprising the nin around her, she sprinted past them.

A hand hooked around her midriff, holding her back.

"Sakura, stop it!" Naruto pulled her back, "If you run in there, you'll be in the middle of open fire."

She struggled wildly, panic rising exponentially at the sight of the injured cat. Sakura kicked out, and started to continuously static shock the blond trying to hold her down, to force him to let her go.

He hissed in pain, at the sudden and unexpected attack from the diminutive female.

When he was just about to let go, Itachi grabbed Sakura by the crook of her elbow, and pulled her towards him. Itachi's hold on her was tight and relentless. He commanded her harshly, "If you don't behave, I will be forced to ensure your obedience."

Sakura's flailing limbs finally slowed, and a weak whimper left her throat.

Kyuubi's vermillion orbs met hers, and a feral grin slashed his lips. He flung Hana back, and Sakura could only watch the cat's body hit the ground. When the feline didn't move, Sakura shut her eyes. She was too late.

She could hear the various jutsus being released, and she winced when several powerful explosions went off.

Afterward there was complete silence as the smoke cleared.

Her eyes openly slowly. She peeked surreptitiously through the veil of her lashes. She was relieved when she spotted Hana in the same spot she'd landed in, after Kyuubi had tossed her. That's when she noticed that the Bijuu were still standing there, both smirking openly at the nin who had attacked them.

Sakura watched helplessly as the shinobi attacked in full force. They all charged at once, converging on the Bijuu like a tidal wave. Even Itachi had released his tight hold on her to take part of the battle.

One by one, Shukaku and Kyuubi knocked them back like flies. When the second wave of shinobi witnessed that their attacks were almost completely useless against them, they hesitated. Neither Hokage faltered, but they too, were eventually stopped in their tracks.

Sakura noticed that Itachi held back, and hadn't charged in after them blindly.

Shukaku strode towards Sakura, almost nonchalantly, as if he were merely taking a leisurely stroll in the park.

Kyuubi fell into step behind the ichibi, only stopping to scoop up the fallen feline.

Itachi quickly realized that they were heading straight for Sakura. Apprehension gripped and twisted his gut, when he could seen the manic glint in the blond one's eyes. He was starting to believe that they were exactly what Sakura said they were.

The simple fact that, the redhead had backhanded Minato Uzumaki, like the powerful nin was just a green genin out on his first mission, cemented the idea in his mind. Never mind, that Sarutobi had crumpled at Shukaku's feet, like a paper fan. Many talented ninja lay unmoving, from just one blow from the mysterious males.

He unsheathed the wakizashi blade, and used chakra to spur him towards Sakura. He knew that anything he tried, might cause a distraction, if he was lucky.

Itachi could see the cruel amusement shimmering in the blond one's eyes. The one Sakura had called Shukaku. He quickly pulled off a simple series of hand signs effortlessly, even with the hilt of the blade in his hand. He released a series of fireballs to rain down on the two Bijuu. He knew that Sakura might get upset at him, since the redhead held Hana captive.

"Run," he told her desperately.

"I can't do that," Sakura replied softly, shaking her head, "I can't leave everyone to face them alone. Especially when it's my fault they're here."

Itachi was about to demand that she listen to him, when Shukaku was suddenly in front of him. Even with his sharingan activated, Itachi wasn't entirely able to follow the speed of the kitsune's arm. Clawed fingertips gripped him by the throat and lifted him bodily off of the ground. He choked, when he realized that he couldn't breath. The weight of the chakra in his attacker's grip was stifling every nerve ending. The sword in his hand fell from his grasp, and hit the cement sidewalk with a loud clang.

"Kitten, I'm growing bored of this game," Shukaku admitted to her in a disinterested tone

Sakura's green eyes flit between Hana and Itachi, knowing that his words didn't bode well for them. Fear licked at her insides. All thoughts seized up even as she pleaded softly, "What do you want from me?"

"Will you do as I say?" Kyuubi inquired icily.

"Whatever you want. Just don't hurt them," Sakura agreed, splaying her arms outward in supplication. She didn't know what else to do.

"Don't... do it," Hana's raspy voice suddenly commanded, the half conscious feline turned her triangular head in Kyuubi's arms, her golden eyes peering at Sakura blearily, "Whatever happens to me, don't..." The cat's eyes shut again, her tiny body quivering from the effort of speaking.

Sakura hesitated. Kyuubi could see the contemplative look on her face, and so he decided to finally lay his terms out completely, "Your obedience – for their lives. You are free to take it, or leave it. However, I assure you, if you so choose to refuse my request. I will not only make you watch as I kill these two, I will raze this city to the ground..."

"Fine. I'll do whatever you tell me to do. But if you don't put them down right now," Sakura could see Itachi's eyes were starting to close from the lack of oxygen, "I won't do what you want, even if you threaten to kill me and everyone else."

Shukaku's golden eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't thought that this would be so easy. He looked at the fox, "She's serious."

Kyuubi glanced at the ichibi, and nodded. The Bijuu set their captives down. Sakura was relieved to see Itachi's chest rise with his next breath.

"What do you wish of me, Kyuubi-sama?" Sakura averted her gaze from her husband, to rest momentarily on Hana.

"Where's the gate hidden?" Kyuubi started to stride in her direction, his movements fluid and precise.

"The gate?"

"Yes, the gate," Shukaku interjected coolly, while following closely behind the red headed kitsune.

Confusion knit her brow. And then, her mind caught up with what they were asking her. Her aunt Koharu had told her something she'd never forgotten. Even if most of the legend she'd been told wasn't true, there was one thing, that seemed that it was indeed true. The shamans were meant to guard the gate. The gate, that she had once believed the Bijuu guarded.

She bowed her head, her bangs shielding the look her eyes from them, "You want me to open the gate, I take it." Her aunt had mentioned as well that she was the key to the gate.

"It seems that you do understand some things," Kyuubi remarked idly, and then, "Yes. Take us to it."

The idea of taking these spirits to the shrine, made her balk on the inside. She looked again at Itachi, and she steeled her nerves, for what must be done. Sakura tried to quell her nervousness when Kyuubi finally came to stand in front of her.

She gazed up into his stern countenance, and finally relented, "The altar is there." She pointed in the direction of the shrine, "At the top of the hill."

Shukaku gave a low whistle, "And to think, we were so close all this time."

"The Guardian kept it well hidden. But, that is to be expected of one, such as she." Kyuubi reached for Sakura, easily picking her up to hold her against him. He wanted to move her away, so that the shinobi could no longer interfere with his plans.

Sakura shut her eyes when Kyuubi started to run forward, and the scenery around her started to blur and meld into a melting pot of greens and browns. It reminded her vaguely of when she traveled piggyback style on Itachi's back, but the Bijuu were able to move much faster than a shinobi.

When they stopped, Kyuubi remarked idly while surveying the small shrine, "Quaint little place you have here."

The kitsune set her down on her feet, while asking, "So where is it, little one?"

Feeling a little unsteady, Sakura forced herself to walk towards the stone dais. She shut her eyes tightly, when she felt the bond throb in protest.

She stumbled, and nearly fell. A firm hand gripped her arm, steadying her. Sakura looked up into Shukaku's face, surprised that he hadn't just let her fall head first.

He truly was capricious by nature, she thought to herself privately.

Turning, she continued the trek up the hill. She pivoted on her heel to face the Bijuu, "This is it."

Both spirits were quiet as they stepped onto the gray stone, only to peer down thoughtfully at the surface.

"It is interesting that you would betray your birthright, for such a small cost, such as the lives of others," Shukaku suddenly turned to assess her, a thoughtful light in his golden eyes. "Over the centuries, your people kept this location secret at a much higher cost than this."

"Why was it so hard for you to find it?" Sakura inquired curiously, trying to ignore the prick to her pride.

"That cat you call Hana. She is a Guardian, who used her abilities to keep this place safe from our eyes," the Kyuubi openly admitted.

"You do realize Kitten, that you gave away the secret to protect the enemies of your kin," Shukaku continued to press in an attempt to sate his curiousity, "Why? Why would you do it?"

Sakura only smiled at him, her mouth curving into a grin full of melancholy, "I've told you already Shukaku-sama, that I wasn't going to be caught up in your cycle of hate. Maybe I've done something horrible, but if you hadn't noticed, we aren't the people of the past. I couldn't just stand by, and watch you slaughter everyone because I refuse to give you what you want. That's just not how _I_ work."

"Enough of this idle chatter. Come here," Kyuubi crooked a finger at her, and pointed to where wanted her to go.

She sighed softly, before going to stand beside him.

Sakura didn't even bother to react outwardly, when red tendrils of chakra started to snake around her, gripping her firmly and lifting her up off the ground.

"So this is why you didn't want to kill me," Sakura voiced her thoughts out loud.

Neither Bijuu responded. Soon, tendrils of yellow, intermingled with Kyuubi's crimson strands of chakra. Her pupils dilated with shock, when it felt like every nerve ending was starting to catch on fire.

Her scream echoed and reverberated throughout the valley.

The agonizing pain, twisted and tore at her muscles. Her body quivered and she fought back the cries that wanted to rend free from her throat. Her eyes shot open in shock when the next spasm that ricochet through her body, only to see a bright light encasing her frame, and engulfing the entire dais.

The earth began to shake, and a miniature quake shook the altar. The stone platform cracked, a long fissure splitting across the rock diagonally. The pillars where countless ceremonies had been performed, crumbled and fragmented. The pieces fell apart and rolled away until there was nothing left of them but a memory.

The entire populace of Konoha gazed up to the heavens, when a bright light shot upwards into the heavens, the luminence intertwining with bright tendrils of saffron chakra.

Itachi had heard his wife's pained cry, and forced himself to fight off his unconscious stupor. He sat up and looked around, noting the ensuing chaos, feeling slightly disoriented. The Uchiha reached for the cat who was still knocked out cold. He picked her up, and held her in his arms. He noticed that the people were gathered in the street, looking up at the sky. His obsidian orbs narrowed on the radiant light beacon that stretched and disappeared behind the clouds.

A gasp broke from every pair of lips, shinobi and civilian alike, when the sky suddenly cracked and opened.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** If any of you enjoy the little tidbits and oddities of the author, I want to share, what I consider this fic's theme song. Yes, I am a nerd, and I picked a theme song for Harken's Bell. The link is in my author's profile, for those interested in hearing it.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

_**I am only one, but still I am one. **_

_**I cannot do everything, **_

_**but still I can do something; **_

_**and because I cannot do everything, **_

_**I will not refuse to do something that I can do. **_

_**-Helen Keller**_

**Chapter 22**

Sakura could only stare at the heavens helplessly as the skies cracked and bled. The yawning maw opened, bleeding melting shades of cerulean, azure, and indigo deep within from the abysmal depths. The agony that tore at her senses was starting to subside, leaving her panting breathlessly.

Sweat arced down her temples and mingled with the tears on her cheeks.

Multiple colored lights shot out from the fissure in the sky, the beams blazing brilliant cylindrical rays down to the earth below.

Despite the burning sensations speckling over the expanse of her skin, she couldn't help but be hypnotized by the horrifically beautiful display happening above her. She could hear the fearful cries, rising from the village.

The trembling earth beneath the fractured dais, finally stilled. The prism of lights, coming from the opening in the sky, took shape before her.

Her voice trembled, but the words started to spill from her lips even as the Bijuu formed in front of her one by one.

A female form was the first to take full shape.

"_The night has gone Nekomata, and the silver eye of the moon, whom watches over the souls of the living rests in slumber,"_ the chorus came out in a breathy whisper.

A dark skinned woman, with even darker hair that seemed black at first, but then the sun caught, and Sakura realized that it was a deep plum hue instead. Her frame was willowy and slender. Bright green eyes reflected contemplative intelligence as she studied the young shaman in turn. The nibi tilted her head to the side, her slit like pupils contracted and dilated as they were exposed to the light. Her hakama pants and haori top, the same shade of purple as her hair, at first sight it looked plain, but then when one looked closer they could see the thousands of silver speckles that flecked the rich fabric. It reminded Sakura, of cloudless night sky, full of stars.

Sakura averted her gaze, reciting the next part of the song in a small voice, _"Oh Isonade, the fisherman prays for your rain, drawing their catch to the surface of your blue waters."_

The grin on the sanbi's face, sent chills dancing up her spin. It was cold and frigid, just like the waters, he was hailed from. His short wavy teal hair danced lightly on the breeze that blew through. Along his cheek bones, two stripes each, the same hue as his treshes slashed in an elegant curve. He had iridescent scales that ran along his hairline. The rest of his complexion was pale, and almost ethereal. He like the other male Bijuu, wore a kimono, his a deep cerulean, with sea foam colored stitching along the lapels.

He studied Sakura for several moments before stepping to the side, to look at the cylindrical spheres of light that contained the rest of his brothers.

"_Sokou, may your hibernation be peaceful, and the voices of the living – wake you not." _She intoned, drawing the eyes of the others on her.

The Bijuu in question, looked rather plain in comparison to the others. Strangely enough, his warm whiskey hued irises assessed her with none of the coldness that she witnessed in the sanbi's gaze. He looked away, his feathery like tresses streaked in warm cinnamon and golden brown flicked over his shoulder with the quick movement. She noticed four, vivid black slashes that looked like marks from a great bird of prey, that streaked across his left pectoral muscle. Unlike the other Bijuu, his attire was simple. He wore but a soft leather vest, and loose fitting matching pants.

A pant left her, as the next Bijuu began to form. The drain on her chakra was staggering, but the Kyuubi's relentlessness continued to push her to the limits.

She opened her mouth, to recite the next line, but no words would form. However, it didn't stop her from saying it to herself, in her mind.

"_Houkou, all the elements bow to your wisdom."_

The first thing she could see, was the deep reddish eyes with an amber ring that circled the outer edge of the iris. Out of all the Bijuu, he held a certain air of elegance, and courtly grace. Long snow white hair hung suspended in a waterfall down his shoulders to his lower back, where the tresses were tipped in shockingly blue and red strands. The hem of his alabaster kimono swept with flourish as he strode past her, without bothering to spare her a glance.

"_Raijuu, I hear the distant thunder, your voice a brilliant white light over the darkened lands."_

Malachite orbs moved to the rokubi. What caught her gaze first, was the shockingly platinum hair, that spiked in an almost rebellious fashion. His pale skin contrasted with the brilliant tresses, making his strange beauty almost hard to look at. His eyes were a startlingly light lilac that put the Hyuuga clan to absolute shame. They were the same hue as lightning streaking across a stormy night sky. He wore a sleeveless light purple haori, that gave evidence to the black jagged tattoos on both of his upper arms that wrapped all the way down to his elbows. When he neared, her eyes widened when she swore she could see small, miniature streaks of lightning, storming in the depths of his intense orbs.

Maybe she was starting to hallucinate, she thought blearily. She trembled when Kyuubi's chakra gave her a tight squeeze. It elicited a sharp gasp from her.

As soon as the pressure released, another Bijuu began to form.

"_Kaku, lord of the earth, spring blossoms and the farmers pray your blessings upon the harvests." _The thought wove itself together in her mind.

Sakura's gaze scanned the short male, who was looking back at her with glossy milky eyes. They shone with a sheen, that almost made her think he was actually blind at first. However, he was openly smirking at her and so she knew that wasn't the case. He ran a hand through his short black and caramel streaked hair. He was short for a Bijuu, she thought dumbly to herself, he was probably around the same height as Itachi. He crossed his arms across his chest as he returned the studious stare, with faint curiosity in those mysterious depths. The earthy tones of browns streaked the jerkin he wore, along with the matching hakama pants. He halted in front of her, his head tilting to the side for several long moments, before he strode away without looking back.

Relief filtered through her when she realized that, the next Bijuu would be the last.

"_Yamata no Orochi, the spirits of evil tremble at the mention of your name, but you are part of the balance that must be kept."_

The eight tails openly glared at her, his pupil-less eyes of ever color changing, full of distaste as his body slowly took shape. His shortly cropped muddy brown locks fell over a broad, prominent brow. He was large, as well as broadly built. His dark green kimono stretched taunt over his muscled frame. He didn't bother to pause and study her as the seven-tails had. Instead, he strode over to the gathered Bijuu.

Sakura met Kyuubi's eyes almost desperately. Her body couldn't take much more of this, she thought weakly. The strain was going to tear her chakra pathways apart.

Then something happened that Sakura would never forget the sight of. The fissure in the sky broke, and fragmented, almost in the same manner the altar had. The explosive sound was deafening, forcing the humans below to clap their hands desperately over their ears in an attempt to deafen the roar.

It was the day when the heavens fell. The speckles of the barrier rained down, but they dissipated into sparkling azure dust before they hit the earth. The wind picked it up the powdery substance, and blew it in all directions as if it had never been.

Finally, the tendrils of crimson chakra started to uncoil, and Sakura realized that she was probably going to hit the stone beneath her hard. She shut her eyes tight, waiting for the impact. It never came.

Strong arms wrapped around her slender frame, before setting her with surprising gentleness on her feet. Eyelashes swept open in disbelief. She knew the shock showed on her face, when it was no other than the Kyuubi himself. She had half-expected for Shukaku to be the one who might get a passing fancy to be gentlemanly.

As soon as he released his hold on her, Sakura's knees trembled and gave out.

"That was a long sleep, I would rather not know how long we've been sealed," the nibi's feminine tones, drawled crisply.

Shukaku grinned, "You really don't want to know." He jerked a thumb in Sakura's direction, "Let's just say, she's the last Nuwan -- within reach anyway. It took me and the damn fox, a lot longer than either of us would like to admit."

Sakura shrank inside herself when all pairs of eyes settled on her. Despite the fact that the Bijuu had just been reawakened, didn't detract from the thrum of power she felt almost pouring off them in waves. She could only imagine what the shinobi thought about it.

The living chakra danced and crackled over her skin. Sakura knew she was at the mercy of these beings that were slowly encircling her. That thought, made her flinch.

"This child is the last?" Houkou's predatory gaze roamed over her, and then flit back to Kyuubi's shuttered expression, "The war, feels like yesterday to me, but -- this… to lose the Nuwan is tragic."

Yamata No Orochi snorted, he intoned with a sneer furling his lips, "You still say that, even after what they did to us?"

"Not all of the Nuwan agreed with the Guardians' decision," Houkou snapped back, a low growl emitting from his chest in warning.

Sakura didn't know what to think when the ookami said that. Not all of her people wanted to follow the Guardian's orders? Was that why the Nuwan ended up leaving? She didn't have long to contemplate it. The next set of words from the female Bijuu sent her mind reeling.

"Where's Harken?" Nekomata didn't bother to pay any mind to the argument taking place beside her.

Harken? Did she mean Hana? She was getting too tired to think, she thought resigned with the whole situation. She shouldn't be surprised anymore, not with the way the entire legend had been twisted.

Kyuubi smirked at the nibi, "Don't bother trying to retrieve your body. It's not in the best condition."

His caustic remark earned him a glare from Nekomata, but she didn't bother to react.

Sakura tried to rise, pressing her palms against the ground beneath her, but her muscles protested. Her gaze flit to the side nervously towards the village. She was surprised that there weren't any shinobi up here, yelling threats from the tree tops. She was slightly relieved that they weren't.

Shukaku noticed the direction of her gaze. He quipped lightly, "They can't get to you here, Kitten. There's a barrier keeping them out."

"Them?" Kaku arched a caramel brow.

"The humans in the village below," Kyuubi waved a dismissive hand in the Shichibi's direction.

"Why do we linger here?" Raijuu crossed his arms, directing a cool look at Shukaku and Kyuubi. "There is much to discuss. I take it the Guardian's destroyed our home."

At the subtle incline of Kyuubi's head, Raijuu snarled angrily.

Shukaku's lips quirked in amusement at the signs of Raijuu's temper. He told the rokubi, "You need to relax, you damn weasel. We've taken care of things."

"The Guardian's didn't permit our release?" Soukou suddenly asked in a quiet voice, his face clearly puzzled by the conversation going on.

"If it was up to them, they would have left all of you there to the end of time," the feral snarl the curved Kyuubi's lips, made Sakura feel uneasy.

She felt as if she was overhearing something she had no right to listen to. However, the hate was unmistakable in his voice, and that in itself alarmed Sakura. She thought about Soukou's confusion. She remembered that earlier that day, Hana had mentioned that not all the Bijuu's agreed with whatever Kyuubi's ideals were.

Sakura felt sweat bead on her brow, as she fought to stay awake. She didn't want to pass out at her enemy's feet.

"Raijuu is correct. We should discuss these things elsewhere."

"You want to take the little Nuwan with us?" Shukaku asked, then looked at Sakura and waggled his brows suggestively at her.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Sakura rolled her eyes at him. He was incorrigible.

"No. She is no longer of any use to us," Kyuubi dismissed Shukaku's query with a quick shake of the head.

It was a relieved Sakura who watched the Bijuu, disappear one by one into a realm of in between, behind Kyuubi. None, save Houkou and Nekomata spared her a glance. In that split second, she glimpsed the troubled gleam in the nibi's eyes. Stark relief shot through Sakura when they were finally gone. She allowed herself to lay down on her side, and she shut her eyes, exhaustion contorting her features.

It wasn't long until, she was claimed by the darkness threatening to swallow her consciousness.

-o-

"The barrier is down," Minato announced loudly, his pale complexion a vivid contrast to the reddening welt on his cheek. He signaled for the assembled squads to move to the shrine to investigate.

Itachi continued to hold Hana in his arms, even as he traversed the treetops ahead of the other shinobi. He had taken off, even before Minato had finished with what he was saying. He could only hope that Sakura hadn't been taken again.

He was the first to the shrine. He didn't pause, even as the Hokage shouted for him to hold back, just incase the Bijuu were still present. He couldn't sense their signatures any longer. He had never felt so much chakra concentrated in one location in the entirety of his life. His stomach was twisting into snake like knots in the pit of his abdomen. He had to make certain his wife was okay, otherwise his heartbeat wouldn't slow down.

Itachi came to a sudden stop, when the altar his wife had held in such regard, came into view. It was completely and utterly destroyed. In the center, lay Sakura unmoving. He strode towards his fallen wife in quick, long strides. Kneeling next to her, he lay Hana on a stone slab that had been shaken from its foundation.

When he noticed her ribcage expanding with her next breath, relief shot through him.

Itachi reached down and smoothed her bangs away from her face.

"Go ahead and take her to the hospital, but after she's been treated…" Minato trailed away, his piercing blue eyes assessing Itachi's reaction. When the Uchiha didn't respond, he continued, "Keep her in the Uchiha compound, until she is to appear before myself, and the council for questioning."

Itachi tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing the Hokage's merciless expression. Finally he dipped his chin to show that he understood, "Yes, sir. I'll report back as soon as she's in the compound."

The Hokage nodded, before pivoting sharply on his heel, heading over to direct the rest of the nin to do a thorough investigation of the property.

He reached for Sakura, and cradled her against his chest.

His sibling appeared next to him, his dark eyes surveying Sakura, and then the surrounding area.

Itachi told him, "Bring the cat."

Sasuke complied, taking up the feline, and tucking Hana against his elbow.

When the Hokage was out of ear shot, Sasuke muttered under his breath, "She's not going to be happy with that order."

Itachi shook his head, but didn't respond at first. He mulled over what his brother said, and he knew it was quite possible that Sakura would decide to rebel against the Hokage's orders. He glanced at his brother once they were well away from the shrine, "It's quite possible that she will rebel, but it's just as likely that she will finally concede to tell the truth."

Sasuke arched a brow at his sibling, and shook his head. He didn't deign to comment.

At the hospital, the nurses and doctors were already rushing around with the influx of injured nin that had just been admitted not an hour before.

He was a bit taken aback when Tsunade came from the back office, located by the triage nurse's desk. She walked straight to Sakura, her honey brown eyes assessing the young woman thoughtfully. A brow shot up, when she noticed the injured cat in the younger Uchiha's arms. She remarked idly, while strumming her fingers against her clipboard, "Shouldn't you be taking that cat to the Inuzuka clinic?"

"I do not want to lose sight of it," Itachi was point blank with the head medic. "The Hokage may decide that she's to come in for questioning along with my wife." He ignored the odd look Tsunade gave him, "Sakura is not to be let out of her room, until she is released."

The blonde's lips twisted into a frown, "Under house arrest huh?"

At the foreboding expression on Itachi's face, her mouth flattened into a thin line. She got down to business, her voice brisk when she turned to stop a brunette nurse bustling by, "Narita, take these people to unit B, level two. Assess her vitals, and also ask Dr. Shizune to take a look at the cat as well, under my orders."

Narita did a double take at the strange request, but after regaining her composure, she executed a quick bow, "Yes Dr. Tsunade-sama."

The men followed the nurse, through the scrawling building. Itachi's gaze examined the halls, making certain to remember the direction they traveled. He knew that once she was in the room, he would be made to vacate the premises.

He was pleased when he realized that Tsunade had sent him to the unit, that had doors that were locked with a pass code.

The nurse pecked in the numbers on the keypad, to which it beeped once, and a small light above it flashed green. She opened the door, and stepped to the side, "Go ahead, and lay the patient on the bed. Once I take her vitals, Dr. Shizune-sama will be by. When I finish, I'll need at least one of you to come with me, so that I can get all the necessary paperwork completed for her check-in."

Itachi strode past her with his bundle, and he gently lay Sakura on top of the bed. Sasuke set the feline at the end, next to his sister-in-law's feet.

Sasuke watched his brother surreptitiously from the side. His brother's face gave nothing of what he was feeling away, but he knew his sibling well. The visible lines of worry, that crinkled at the corners or his brother's eyes were deepening with each passing second. Not for the first time, Sasuke wondered if the trouble-making woman, was more worry than she was worth.

But that wasn't fair either. She had faced those powerful Bijuu, or whatever they were, head on to protect the village.

The brothers stood quiet while the nurse took Sakura's vitals, and then with a thoughtful look aimed at them, she ushered the siblings out of the hospital room.

-o-

The acrid scent was the first thing that tugged on Sakura's senses. Her eyes opened to dim darkness, but even as her muddled thoughts started to clear up, she knew she was back in the hospital. There was just something about a medical facility, that left you in no doubt, that you were there.

She glanced down and noticed they had her hooked up to a machine, a needle firmly lodged in the space beneath the crook of her elbow into her vein.

She had no idea how long she'd been asleep, but Sakura had never felt more exhausted in her entire life.

Sakura listened idly to the blips that emitted from the machine behind her bed, as it measured her heart rate.

She had survived, and no one had died. But the altar at the shrine lay in absolute shambles. Sakura had never felt more like a failure in her entire life and at the same time, there was anger burning beneath the surface of her emotions. Lies, lies, and more lies. That's all she'd been protecting. And for what?

Sakura blinked back tears, her pride in who and what she was, had dictated her actions towards other people. She had verbally lashed out at everyone who had ever tried to get close to her. If it wasn't for the shinobi moving into her village, then she would still be the rude loud-mouthed, and abrasive woman she used to be.

She had believed all of the lies she'd been fed.

Her parents had died because of them.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Sakura honestly didn't want to be bonded to the Guardians anymore. She didn't want to hear the voices of the elements, any longer. What was the point? She was told she was supposed to protect the Bijuu, and then she was told, no it was the Guardians she was actually meant to aid and watch over.

Instead, her true purpose was to protect a legacy of lies.

Beautiful falsehoods that had been woven with the threads of deceit. A tapestry of deception. All to ensure her clan's obedience.

"I'm sorry Sakura," a hoarse whisper in the dark, spoke to her.

Sakura recognized the sound and looked towards the edge of the bed, looking straight into the glowing amber orbs staring right back at her. She couldn't keep the angry edge out of her words, "I should hate you, I really, really should."

Silence followed that statement.

"I understand that apologizing at this point will mean very little to you," Hana said simply, her voice full of quiet emotion.

"Were you ever planning on telling me the truth?" Sakura asked, already knowing the answer. If Hana didn't bother to tell the truth to countless generations of her family. Who was she?

Hana didn't respond, she merely shut her eyes and looked away.

"I'm just a mortal, after all. I guess when it comes down to it, I don't matter in the grand scheme of things to a Guardian," Sakura didn't bother to disguise the bitterness spilling out.

"You have every right to be angry," the feline agreed with her quietly.

"You're damn right I do!" Sakura rubbed at her eyes, feeling the tears starting to brim and burn. She continued, the decibel of her voice raising, "Because of the Guardians' deceit, my parents are dead. They chose to protect a lie, over coming home to me!"

"The Bijuu were sealed to protect humanity," Hana returned calmly.

"Oh really? How can I trust that, that's the truth?" Sakura snapped, her body stiffening at the cat's response.

Hana sighed, and then laid her chin on top of her paws. She turned her face away, "Guardians are just as fallible as humans, Sakura. We make mistakes, just like anyone else. We're not gods, nor are we perfect beings. We do our best to ensure that the world continues to live on in balance, so that the future generations may enjoy life. I tried my best to protect you, to prevent all this from happening, because you deserved that as much as anyone else."

"Where do the shaman fall in all this really? Hell, how much of that fucking legend you Guardian's baked up is actually true?" Sakura shut her eyes, trying to brace against all the pain she felt in her heart.

"I don't have much time," Hana's voice was faint.

Sakura's eyes shot open in alarm. The cat couldn't do this to her. There was so many questions she wanted to ask. No, that she needed to ask. "What in the hell do you mean by, you don't have much time?"

"I suppose, fate has decided that I should be punished for all I've done. Perhaps that will ease your hard feelings. Kyuubi's attacks really damaged this borrowed body of mine," Hana explained softly, "I was really at a disadvantage, facing him like that."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Sakura query surprised the cat.

"You should have no reason to want to," the feline responded.

"Even though, I know that you're a Guardian now. It doesn't matter. To me you're family. I've never thought of you as a familiar, or anything like that. Just family. You were all I had for a long time, and no matter what you've done -- I'm not just going to abandon you. That's not to say, that I've forgiven you, or will just suddenly blindly trust everything you say again," Sakura was decidedly blunt, "But I'm not just going to look the other way while you die."

"There might be a way, but I don't think the shinobi will allow you to leave. I don't want to put you in a position that's just going to cause you more suffering," Hana admitted, her ribcage heaving heavily with her next breath.

"You know what? I'm tired of people telling me what they think I should or should not do," Sakura glared daggers at the cat, even though she didn't even have her eyes open, "If you tell me -- then I'll be able to make my own decision for once."

Hana cracked an eye open to study Sakura's face, quickly noticing the stubborn tilt of the young woman's chin. She chuckled gruffly, "Stubborn as always."

Sakura sat up, ignoring the sting it caused her. Wincing, she yanked the needle out of her arm, and pulled the cat against her, "Just tell me dammit."

There was a pause, and finally Hana relented, "My real body… it's not here. It's in Helath. You'd have to take me there but --" her eyes closed again, and her words slowed to a grinding halt mid sentence.

It made Sakura want to yank her hair out. She gently shook the cat, "But what? How do I get there?"

"Your favorite place…" the cat's voice was growing fainter by the second, "blood on the altar."

"What do you mean by favorite place?" Sakura asked puzzled by the cat's vague explanation. And blood on the altar? Was Hana delirious?

When there was no answer, she realized that was all she was going to get. Sakura knew that she would have to eventually make a decision with the little information she'd been given. The cat was right about one thing. There was no way that Itachi or any of the shinobi would let her go anywhere after what happened that day. In fact, they might really just lock her up in a cell, if she was foolhardy enough to try asking permission. No one but her would care, if Hana died.

She held the Guardian's furry body against her chest, and buried her face against the cat. Sakura admitted in a broken whisper, "I should hate you… but I don't. I can't…" And then in a barely audible murmur, "I won't…"

Sakura didn't bother to look up when the door opened.

"Hello there, Sakura. It's been awhile," Tsunade's brisk voice pulled the younger woman's attention away from the feline in her arms.

She didn't respond to the greeting.

Tsunade's sharp eyes assessed the young woman.

Sakura felt the probe of the doctor's chakra. She flinched when Tsunade slapped the clipboard up against the bed railing in a fit of temper, "Why did you pull out your intravenous drip?"

She gave Tsunade an odd look. The what?

The doctor sighed harshly and picked up the needle, still attached to the ripped tape and small rubber tube. She grasped Sakura's arm none too gently, to peer shrewdly down at the torn, and bleeding skin. Her brow furrowing when she realized that the young woman hadn't cared, that had hurt herself.

She held the needle up in front of Sakura's face and waved it for emphasis, "This! You need that medication."

"I'm sorry," Sakura mumbled, while averting her gaze away from the angry brown eyes glaring down at her.

"Don't apologize for something you don't mean," Tsunade's brows winged down together in a sharp v, "Anyway, I'm going to heal this up and replace the needle. Don't you dare rip it out again."

Sakura nodded jerkily at the angry doctor.

Tsunade quickly healed the broken skin, and after cleaning the needle, put it back in place. She leaned over the bed, punching a few buttons, before checking the machine that kept record of her vital scans. She scribbled something on the clipboard, and then said to her, "While you are here in this hospital, you will be under our watch. When it's time for you to be released, there will be a shinobi escort to take you to the Uchiha compound."

Sakura's raspy chuckle surprised the doctor, "So the Hokage, decided to place me under house arrest after all."

"Apparently. There were quite a few people admitted into the hospital today. Not to mention the whole, insane display in the sky over the village. There's quite a bit of tension in the air," Tsunade remarked offhandedly, "But either way, those are the orders."

Sakura didn't have to be a shinobi, to know that the doctor was fishing for information. She turned her face away, "I understand. When am I going to be released?"

Tsunade's gaze grew shrewd, but after contemplating Sakura's question, she didn't see the harm in answering her. "Tomorrow morning, after breakfast."

When Sakura didn't respond to that, the doctor scribbled a few more notes on her clipboard and finally turned to leave.

Tsunade punched in the code and opened the door. She paused mid step when she heard Sakura whisper, "Thank you."

The door clicked behind the doctor, and as soon as it shut completely, Sakura heard the bolt snap into place.

Sakura stared down at the feline in her lap, contemplating her limited options. She bit her lower lip. She just couldn't turn the other cheek, and let Hana slip away from her. Running a hand over the cat's ebony fur, she sighed out loud to herself, "My favorite place? Where's that, huh?"

Leaning back against the pillow, she stared at the half empty bag of clear liquid that was being pumped into her.

Hell, even if she knew the answer to that, it's not like she was in any shape to attempt was she contemplating.

Hana had mentioned blood on an altar. What would an altar have to do with her favorite place? She shut her eyes, and forced her sluggish brain to think harder. And then after a few moments of trying to make sense of it all. The answer clicked into place. The shrine with the unknown purpose in the cave, just outside Konoha. The cavern she had taken Itachi to. Hana had called it her favorite place back then too.

Sakura was at a loss of what to do. She stared down at the feline cradled in her arms, and then slowly closed her eyes. It hurt to think anymore. As it was, she would have to go through the hospital, because there was no window in that room to crawl out of.

She knew that she would only have one chance. If she was caught trying to escape, who knew what they would do to her then? The added pressure of Hana's life hanging in the balance, wasn't something she could readily ignore either. Sakura had never felt so alone in her life, except when she received the news of her parents' passing.

Glancing down at the needle in her arm, she reached for the tape, and in one swift movement she tore it away. Instead of jerking the apparatus out like she did the first time, she gingerly pulled the needle out, and set it aside. She had the feeling if she unhooked herself from the other machine that was measuring her heart rate, the room would be swarmed before she could even attempt her escape plan.

And to have a chance at succeeding, she would need both of her hands free. That meant, she would need to find some way to safely carry Hana, that wouldn't hinder her from using her abilities.

Sakura looked at the meager contents in the room, assessing everything thoroughly.

She set Hana down, and then gripped the hospital sheet with both hands. Using a meager amount of chakra to aid her failing strength, she ripped a chunk of the material away. Sakura looked at the jagged piece and with shaky, fumbling fingers, she fashioned a temporary sling.

She looked down at her hospital gown, wondering what she could do about that as well. Sakura searched for the kimono she had worn for the festival. When it was nowhere to be seen, she mumbled a few choice words under her breath. Would she really be forced to walk out of the hospital in the issued gown? It wasn't that she was a vain woman by any means, but the thought of going out in public in a garment that was completely open in the back, didn't sit well with her at all.

"Damn you Hana," she grumbled ill-humouredly at the unconscious cat.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she buried her fingers in her hair in pure frustration. After a few minutes of weighing through the pros and cons of her decision to find her way out of the hospital, she almost backed down from the whole thing. It was then, that she noticed the edge of a box poking out from beneath the bed.

Practically vaulting from off the side of the bed, she settled on her knees, and pulled it out. She flipped the flaps open, and her heart nearly burst out of her chest. They had brought her clothes. It was probably because of her eminent discharge in the morning. She pulled out a plain blue tunic and matching pair of drawstring pants. She frowned down at the folded garments. She didn't own any clothes like these. She shook her head, it didn't matter. Anything was better than the hospital gown.

She quickly shed the meager piece of clothing, and pulled on the pair of pants. When she reached for the tunic, she realized that she was going to have to unhook herself from the machine completely.

Sakura sighed, knowing full well that doing that could greatly limit her time frame to escape. Shutting her eyes, she prayed to whatever deity was listening, and then without hesitation she yanked the wires off of her body. Immediately the blipping lines on the machine went flat, and it started to emit a sharp whine that hurt her ears.

Ignoring the irritating noise, she winced at the sharp pain that shot through her arm when she pulled the sling over her head. Sakura caught her lower lip between her teeth, abusing the tender flesh, as what she was doing really hit home. It was an act of insanity, and she knew it.

Gently picking up the cat, she set Hana in the makeshift cradle, and turned to the door. It was now or never. Sakura lined her hands with chakra, and grasping the silver knob, she yanked the door towards her. The wood splintered and the metal bent as she forced it open. Not for the first time, Sakura was grateful that her mother had taught her how to utilize chakra.

It left her more depleted than she was comfortable with. Kyuubi had used up all of her chakra, when he used her to release the Bijuu from their prison. She had rested, but her chakra reserves had been no where near full when she woke up.

Sakura strode down the hall, with no direction in mind. She was grateful that the corridor was empty. The last thing she needed was for someone to spot her. As it was, she was taking a huge chance.

Her eyes flit from side to side, as she studied her immediate surroundings. She felt like she was in some kind of prison. All of the doors she passed by, were locked down with a numeric pad above every door handle.

If they had gone that far, then it was probable that they had other measures they used to ensure that patients didn't escape from this area of the hospital. That thought, left a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Sakura wracked her brain for a way to cause any kind of distraction that would give her a better chance at succeeding.

It was risky move to utilize her chakra so early in her escape attempt. But even as she walked, she activated the bond with the Guardians.

When she felt the connection click in her mind she didn't bother to polite, _I need one of you to hold up your end of the bond, for once. I have to find a way out of here._

_There is much anger in your heart child, _the Bird's voice wafted through her mind.

_I have no time to listen to you tell me what I already know! And don't act as if you don't know what's been going on. The innocent, omnipotence act is starting to wear thin. Is this a one way bond, or what? I need help! Now! _Sakura shot back, irritated by the Guardian's response to her cry for help.

The Tiger replied immediately, _I will overlook your disrespect, because I can feel the edge of your desperation. Your chakra is low. I shall give you some of mine._

About fucking time, she thought to herself, when she felt her energy level rise. A brunette nurse passed her in the halls, and Sakura felt panic raise in proportion to the shock on the other woman's face.

The Turtle told her, _there are many water spirits in the place you are in. Call them to dance for you._

"What are you doing out of your room and…" the nurse demanded hotly, striding over to Sakura. The nurse's brown eyes widened when she got a good look at Sakura's face, and the whirling pupil-less green orbs staring right back at her. The nurse backed away several steps, holding her clipboard tightly against her chest.

What did he mean by many water spirits? And then it hit her. Nearly every room probably had a sink, and shower installed. Sakura desperately reached for the water spirits, doing as the Turtle bade her. A smirk curled her lips, when she heard the boisterous laughter echo against her earlobes.

She lifted her hands upward, and called the spirits to dance.

"What does it look like?" An arrogant mask slipped over Sakura's face as she replied to the nurses' query, "I thought it was rather obvious that I was escaping."

Suddenly the walls around her began to shake, and there was a sharp squealing noise that echoed through the entire building. The nurse's face scrunched and she covered her ears, when there was a series of loud bangs that sent a wave of panic coursing through the hospital residents. Patients hid under their covers believing that they were under a sudden attack. Doctors and nurses shrank against the wall, or under a desk in startled reaction to the thunderous clamor ricocheting through the halls.

Every sink and shower in the hospital began to leak, groaning beneath the pressure of the water trying to free itself. The pipes burst, and then just as the Turtle said the spirits would, the water began to dance.

An emergency alarm was set off, adding to the swell of racket that shook through the entire hospital.

"Wh-what did you do?" The nurse knew that whatever was going on, had something to do with the strange patient, "You caused that didn't you?"

Sakura pivoted on her heel, and strode down the hall the nurse came from. She didn't respond to the woman's question.

The nurse took off in a dead run in the opposite direction.

Now that she'd been spotted, she would have little time to get out. Relief filtered through her when she realized that the personnel rushing around her didn't spare her a glance. They were too busy panicking about the flooding rooms.

Sakura felt relief filter through her when she came to a section she recognized from her last stay. She knew the way out now.

Her pace quickened substantially with each step until she was at a near jog, causing the sling to bounce against her stomach.

When she was several feet away from the entrance to the hospital she heard a loud command ring throughout the waiting room that she knew was directed to her, "Stop! What the hell are you all doing? Stop that woman! NOW!"

Sakura glanced over her shoulder to see a pair of angry honey brown eyes glaring straight at her.

She panicked when the woman came racing towards her, along with several other people.

Sakura sprinted to the set of double doors in an act of desperation. She started to beg the Guardians in earnest for their aid. She slammed outside nearly stumbling down the steps. She looked up for a moment into the moonless night sky as if to look for answers.

She heard the shouts coming from behind her, and she took off into the streets.

Her plea for help was answered, when an immensely thick veil of fog blanketed over the entire village of Konoha. Sakura halted confused, _I understand what you are doing, but how will I find my way out, if I can't see?_

The Guardians didn't answer her but this time, she felt the whisper of the wind spirits against the lobe of her ear, and a gentle touch encircled her wrist. Her eyes widened when she was suddenly propelled forward, and it was under the guidance of the wind spirits, that she was led out of the village.

-o-

Tsunade cursed loudly when she was forced to a complete stop, by the out of season, dense fog.

What the hell was that woman? First every pipe in the hospital burst, and now every room was under at _least_ an inch of water. Not to mention, the little blue sprite wispy things that had appeared, causing half of the patients to believe they were being haunted by ghosts.

Then, this fog. It was summer. The day had been relatively unclouded. There hadn't been rain for weeks. There shouldn't be any moisture to create this dense misty, soupy fog. The thing that made it all that more mysterious was the fact that, it didn't have the usual feel of a jutsu. She'd seen something similar before from shinobi who hailed from the Mist clans, but this didn't even come close.

Why hadn't Itachi bothered to fucking warn her that his wife had some very unique abilities? This… this didn't even fall under the category of bizarre bloodline limits. This was -- well Tsunade wouldn't know what _this _was, because no one had bothered to explain anything to her.

She had known from the first time she healed Sakura, that there was something very unique about her. The young woman had the actual ability to reject a stranger's chakra from her body. But this? The whole fucking hospital was in absolute chaos. And in this fog, it would be difficult at best to alert someone to the fact, that the patient who was supposed to be under house arrest, had escaped.

Tsunade's temper got the better of her. Lining a fist with chakra, she punched one of the small stone pillars that decorated the stairs to the entrance of the hospital, causing it to crack and explode from the force.

Dr. Shizune suddenly burst out of the doors, "Dr. Tsunade-sama, what's going on? What are you doing out here? We need your help inside. The whole hospital is freaking out!"

Tsunade's voice was cold as ice, "This was caused by a patient who just escaped. I need you to report that Sakura Uchiha is loose. I'll go inside to take care of the situation."

Shizune openly gaped, "What? How? That room was secured."

"That's what I would like to know," Tsunade's brisk reply had the other woman straightening her spine. She added, "I trust that you have the ability to find someone, even in this fog."

"Of course Tsunade-sama," Shizune executed a quick bow, that sent her white doctor's coat flapping, "Is there anything else you would like to relay?"

"The Uchiha's are going to have one hell of a bill to pay."

And with that, Tsunade swept into the hospital with her coat billowing behind her.

Shizune's eyes rounded. Was Tsunade insinuating that all this was caused by Sakura?

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Shizune took off into the night, in search of an ANBU to report to.

-o-

Itachi's eyes shot open when he heard a pounding knock at the front door of his parents' home. He jackknifed in the bed, still a little disoriented from being wakened from a dead sleep.

The knock was incessant, and he somehow knew that it probably had something to do with Sakura. He quickly pulled on a pair of loose black pants, and stepped out into the hall. His family was all standing in the hallway, peering in the direction of the front door.

Itachi went to the foyer, and wrenched open the door. His eyes widened when the person on the doorstep was an ANBU in uniform.

He didn't even bother to wait for the ANBU officer to speak. His tone was sharp, "Where is my wife?"

The shinobi was taken aback by the Captain's terse question. Did someone already report his wife's escape to him?

"She broke out of the hospital sir. We've been assembling a search squad, but we've been delayed by the fog," the nin gestured to the dense mist just outside the porch.

"How in the hell did that happen? She was supposed be locked in, and monitored?" Itachi arched a brow.

"We have reports from one of the doctors, that every water pipeline leading into the hospital burst all at once. During the chaos, she somehow broke out of her room… and was able to vacate the premises without being noticed, until she was nearly out of the door. The Hokage orders your assistance in this case," he recited quickly.

"I'll be there," Itachi replied, his lips flattening into a thin line. He shut the front door, willing himself not to slam it.

When he had his emotions under control he pivoted hard on his heel and strode past his brother without a word, and went straight to his room to put his uniform on. He quit his bedroom, and was stopped by Sasuke in the hall who had also dressed and equipped himself.

"I know the Hokage didn't ask for me, but I'll offer my assistance," Sasuke informed him calmly.

Mikoto clasped the lapels of her silky, pale lilac robe together, her face withdrawn and laden with worry. She walked over to her eldest son and gently grasped his upper arm, "I don't know why she's doing this, but please bring her back safely."

Itachi was taken aback by the worry on his mother's face.

His father shook his head, his expression grim.

Sasuke opened the front door, and glanced back at his brother, "Let's go."

Itachi inclined his head, and strode to the entrance of the house. He glanced back at his parents. He cleared his throat, "I fully understand that my wife has crossed a line. I will make certain that this issue is resolved as soon as possible."

Once outside the house, Sasuke interjected softly, "Knowing her, she's probably doing something completely foolhardy because she thinks it's the right thing to do."

"Aa."

"I watched her stand up to those men, or whatever they are -- to protect you. To protect this village," Sasuke admitted in a low voice.

"I'm well aware that Sakura's intentions are probably good ones. In her mind, at least. However, that doesn't change the fact, that she's running away from imprisonment," Itachi returned frostily.

"It bothers you more that she didn't come to you first, doesn't it?" Sasuke asked his brother, his eyes narrowing when Itachi stiffened at the personal question.

Itachi didn't reply to that. He didn't have to. He reigned in his chaotic emotions, while forcing himself to focus solely on the mission. He couldn't allow himself to falter in this. He knew Sasuke was right. He knew Sakura well enough to know, that she was a person who did most things with good intentions, even if she tried to hide it with sarcasm. He didn't want to admit that it hurt, that she didn't trust him enough to come to him with the truth.

He'd given her all the time and space, he thought she needed. But in the end, it hadn't matter at all. He was a shinobi, so he understood what it was to have a secretive nature. But Sakura had continued to keep everything to herself even when it concerned her safety. She had never trusted him enough to completely confide in him. She instead chose to do everything alone. Sakura had even given herself up freely to a pair of very powerful Bijuu, to save his life.

He trailed behind his brother, allowing Sasuke to lead him through the fog covered tree tops as his emotions struggled to break free.

It wasn't like he didn't understand why. But it didn't matter, it made him ache in a way, that he hadn't known was possible.

-o-

**A/N: A quick note on the Bijuu here. Obviously I put my own spin on them, but I also looked at the original list of Bijuu, and used that description of them, over the Narutoverse one, since this is AU. I realize that in the original, like Nekomata, Houkou is female, but for some reason, we envisioned the ookami in a male form. If anyone wants the link to the list I used, I'm going to post the link to it in my author's profile. Thank you.**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: **And here we are people - the next part! Thanks to everyone for their continued support. Also a thanks goes out to all the reviewers, this story has passed **400 **reviews. A first for me on any one story. I couldn't have done it without you all. _Also, _I had planned to get this out sooner, preferably before June had hit, but I've been ill. And it wasn't just one thing, it was one after the other. The meds are really kicking my ass, but I am feeling a bit better today. You just may have to deal with more typos and grammar issues than usual.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto! But, I do own a few packages of top ramen. Does that count?

_I'll sing it one last time for you_

_Then we really have to go_

_You've been the only thing that's right_

_In all I've done_

_**-Snow Patrol**_

**Chapter 23**

Outside of Konoha, Sakura stumbled into the woods, somewhat disoriented from the foggy haze. On the other side of the village gates, the night sky was completely clear and free from the blinding misty veil. She glanced over her shoulder at the wispy white curtain that still hung almost ominously over the city. Shaking her head, she turned and continued to walk.

Soon, she was cursing the fact that she was barefoot. A small fact that she had failed to notice in her hasty escape from the hospital. Fortunately for her, it was midsummer, and so the briars didn't have as many thorns as they had during springtime. The pine needles, and the scattered pinecones however, was a different story altogether.

Sakura looked down at the sleeping cat and muttered while wincing, "You owe me for this one."

She knew she wouldn't have much time before the shinobi figured out where she was going and so she quickened her pace substantially. Once the nin discovered her trail, they would be on her in minutes. It didn't help that she was also traveling up an incline, and so she couldn't chance exhausting herself too early in the hike either.

When her breathing grew labored, she didn't stop to take a break. Every stolen moment was going to count in whether she succeeded in this venture or not.

It was strange, she thought to herself idly as she walked. Even as dark as it was in the woods, she instinctively knew where she was going. Perhaps Hana was helping her somehow, or one of the other Guardians. It was almost like a six sense, and she was tired enough to let it lead her without questioning what it was too deeply. She didn't bother to contemplate the issue further, instead she concentrated on focusing her energy on moving forward. She was going the right way, and that was what mattered in the end.

The wind chakra spirits suddenly flit past her, tangling her already knotted hair even more. They whispered gentle encouragement and shared soft laughter. Truly, it was because of the spirits being there with her, that she wasn't scared. She wasn't by herself. Not really, anyway. For that, she was grateful for her heritage. That was one of the perks of being a shaman. She really could never truthfully say that she was completely alone.

Once and awhile she would see a pair or two of animal eyes staring at her from the bushes or the canopy above her, but she didn't sense any malice, only curiosity. In a way, it actually felt good to exercise her senses in this way. It seemed rare lately, that she had the chance to do so.

A gasp left her parched throat when her foot got twisted in an exposed tree root. She flailed forward, her body twisting to the side from the momentum. Desperately she grabbed for a low hanging branch and caught herself. She used her other hand to hold Hana against her, so that the feline wouldn't go flying out of the sling.

Untangling the appendage gingerly, she straightened and stepped to the side doing her best not to wobble and lose her footing again. She hissed painfully, and bit at her lower lip to keep the sound from coming out. The knobby and gritty surface of the exposed root had torn the skin on the top of her foot. She frowned down at the wound. She wouldn't be surprised if that left a mark.

Not wanting to linger, despite the fact that she had further injured herself. It didn't help matters that her leg muscles were already aching horribly. Oh well, it was to be expected. Her body had been through hell lately. She forced the thought of failure out of her mind, and started to trek forward again. Normally, the hike wasn't all that bad. Nor was it usually this tiring.

"This is my punishment for not staying in the hospital," she chuckled breathlessly. The vivid image of Tsunade sharply nodding her head in agreement, appeared in her mind's eye. If she ever made it back home, the blonde woman would probably give her a stern lecture for taking the needle out of her arm again. Funnily enough, the thought made her smile.

Shaking her head at her own silliness, Sakura glanced down at her precious bundle, and sighed audibly. Against the protest of her leg muscles she picked up her speed substantially. If she succeeded, if she could get to the actual place where Hana hinted about, she might possibly get to meet others that were like her.

Not only would she be able to save Hana, but she might also actually have a chance to learn the what truth really was. If the other Nuwan, actually knew the truth anyway. It was possible, that they could be just like her. Completely clueless. It may also turn out that, they wouldn't want to bother telling her anything. Even if she shared the same blood, it was probable that they would see her as an outsider. Why had her family stayed behind anyway? Why hadn't they left with the rest of the Nuwan and let Hana guard the sealed gate by herself?

If that was case, than she would have never met Itachi Uchiha.

Her heart squeezed.

Frowning at that thought, she shook her head. It didn't matter. Things were what they were. She couldn't change the past. Sakura could only try to reach for a better future. At this point in the hike, it was pure determination that spurred her onward. Her feet were torn and bleeding, and she wasn't even sure where she was getting the energy to keep going from.

As the incline steepened, she grit her teeth and willed herself past the pain. This meant that she was finally getting close to her destination.

**-o-**

Itachi and Sasuke headed towards the shrine, at the top of the hill first. There was no other place in the city that either of them could think of, that Sakura would want to run to. When they arrived on the property, there was already a squad of shinobi on the premises conducting a thorough search.

Neji strode towards the Uchiha siblings, his steps filled with purpose. He was the first to speak, "She's not here. We've searched the entire area, at the Hokage's order. There's nothing here. According to Kiba, she hasn't been here for awhile. He says that Akamaru told him that her scent is here but it has faded, leading him to believe she hasn't been in here within the last few days. Is there anywhere else that she might have gone?"

"Did anyone check Koharu Utatane's home? The woman is Sakura's only living relative. Or perhaps Ichiraku's Ramen? She used to work there part time," Itachi asked the other nin crisply, he wasn't in the least bit surprised Sakura wasn't here. His wife was a lot of things, but she wasn't stupid. That thought however, didn't make the situation any less frustrating. Itachi was beginning to realize that he really hated this feeling of helplessness that Sakura invoked in him, as of late.

"Kakashi's squad was already sent to question the old woman, and he hasn't reported back as of yet. The shop owner of Ichiraku maintains that Sakura hasn't worked there since she was married to you. We've inspected the stand thoroughly and found nothing. I'm honestly beginning to believe that she's not in the village. Shino and Kiba are going to assemble a search team, and then see if they can't find her trail. Unfortunately, our efforts have been slowed down substantially by the fog," Neji returned briskly, pulling Itachi away from his inward thoughts.

Sasuke sent a sidelong glance, noting his brother's shuttered and aloof expression. He cleared his throat, "Do you have any idea, where she might have gone?"

Itachi's adam's apple bobbed as he mulled over the inquiry. His obsidian orbs suddenly turned flinty when came to an answer. His eyes narrowed sharply on Sasuke's face. He turned his attention back to Neji, "Send your squad up ANBU route four. At the top of the rise, there is actually a cave there that my wife took me to once. It is very well hidden. You may need your kekkei genkai to find it."

Neji frowned at Itachi's explanation. He arched a brow at Itachi, "A cave? I know that route, and I've never…"

"It's sealed by chakra. It's not visible by normal means. Sasuke and I will move ahead," Itachi cut in, not wanting to waste any more time. He gestured sharply with his hand for his brother to follow him.

Neji nodded and pivoted on his heel to gather his squad.

Itachi immediately propelled himself forward, lining the soles of his feet meticulously with chakra. Even through the blinding fog, he didn't bother to slow down.

Sasuke came up alongside him, a bit taken aback by his brother's sudden burst of speed. He inquired coolly shooting his elder brother a thoughtful, sidelong glance, "If she's headed to some cave in the mountains, why are you pushing so hard? If that's where she is, it's not like she could actually get anywhere before we catch up to her."

Itachi didn't bother to spare him a glance. He responded tersely, his voice giving away his agitation, "There's an altar inside the cavern, just like the one that was at the shrine…" He let the sentence hang.

Sasuke's eyes widened, immediately realizing what his brother was implying. He wasn't really inclined to have a repeat of the previous day's performance.

After that, the brothers traveled in silence. Itachi leapt from a rooftop to the city wall, not bothering to pause as he jumped to the ground below. His brow knit together, when he realized that the village was the only area that was covered by fog.

Outside the city perimeter, it was completely clear. Even the night sky was cloudless. The nearly full moon, seemed almost as to taunt him with its silvery rays. His mouth firmed, and the muscle in his cheek jumped. Sakura never failed to prove to him over and over again, that when it came down to it, he really didn't know anything about her.

Sasuke crouched, and pointed to the dirt path leading out of the city, "There's a set of footprints headed straight into the forest. I'm guessing these must be hers. She's barefoot. That's good, she'll be slowed down."

Itachi smirked darkly at his younger brother, "She's too stubborn to let anything stop her once she's made up her mind about something."

Before Sasuke could form a proper response to that, Itachi moved on ahead of him, disappearing into the tree canopy in the blink of an eye.

Muttering crankily under his breath, Sasuke straightened and then followed his brother into the forest.

**-o-**

"Dammit," Naruto squinted as if that might actually work to help him see better. "This fog is such a pain in the ass."

"One of the other squads reported that it's clear outside of the village," Neji told the irritated blond stoically.

"Are we going after Sakura then?" Naruto asked quietly, folding his arms and aiming an impatient look at the Hyuuga.

"Yes. Once Sai and Kakashi arrives. We will head out," Neji informed him coolly.

Naruto looked at the already assembled nin, noting that Kiba and Shino were already there.

"So many people. But why? It's just Sakura," Naruto was taken aback by the man power they were assembling just to go after the young woman. It wasn't that he doubted her abilities or anything like that, but she wasn't a hostile target for kami's sake. If they went and manhandled her back into Konoha, she could very well go back to hating shinobi. Naruto grimaced at the thought of her unleashing her acid tongue on everyone again.

"We're not taking any chances on her escape. Apparently she was able to make every water pipe in the hospital burst," Shino piped in, in his usual monotone, "The Hokage feels that in light of this, it's better to be cautious."

Naruto mentally digested that, and then laughed out loud and shook his head.

"What's so funny?" Kiba arched a brow at the strange blond.

"It's not that I find it funny. That just sounds so -" Naruto paused and a wide grin curved his lips, "cool." He could only imagine how Tsunade-sama had reacted. The prankster in him reveled at the very idea of such flamboyantly insane chaos.

The blond was taken off guard when Sai delivered a quick smack to the back of his head. He lurched forward with a sharp yelp.

"What the hell Sai?" Naruto turned to glare daggers at the stoic nin, while cradling the back of his head gingerly with his hand.

"Was that the correct timing to deliver the punishment?" Sai's dark eyes moved past Naruto to the rest of the group, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, it was," Neji replied with a curt nod. He aimed an irritated frown at the rambunctious blond.

Naruto responded by giving the Hyuuga a dirty look, while pulling the skin under his left eye down slightly, and sticking out his tongue childishly.

Kiba smothered the amused smile wanting to surface.

Shino inquired coolly, interrupting before the situation could turn into an argument, "Isn't it time that we go? We're taking route four correct?"

"Kakashi's late," Neji shook his head in the negative, and then nodded, "Yes. We will be taking route four."

"We should just go. Kakashi already has the missive," Kiba waved away Neji's concern, "He'll have no problem catching up."

"Yare yare," was followed by a noisy bang, and a poof of gray smoke, "You were going to leave without me?"

Neji didn't respond, he slipped his mask down over his face. The others followed suit. He pivoted sharply on his heel, while lifting his hand slightly over his head to gesture at the nin behind him, "I'll take lead, Shino and Kiba will follow in the second position. Naruto, Sai, and Kakashi, you will take the rear flank."

The Hyuuga's body flickered momentarily with a powerful surge of chakra, and then disappeared deep into the curtain of fog. Kiba and Shino quickly followed behind the Hyuuga. Naruto leveled a look that spoke volumes at Kakashi, giving away his irritation at the older nin for being late. Not that, that was anything new. The older shinobi merely grinned back saucily, the material of his mask crinkling. The final trio took their position, trailing the hastily put together team out of Konoha.

**-o-**

Sakura breathed in deeply, releasing the air a bit shakily when she crested the top of the hill in abject relief. She'd made it. And there was no sign of a shinobi yet. Propping her the flat of her palm against the rock, she bent slightly, breathing in deep gulps of oxygen to catch her breath.

"I don't know if I even have the energy for this," Sakura murmured faintly to herself. As it was, she was getting close to her limit.

Removing her palm from the grainy, granite surface, she dredged up the remaining tendrils of her chakra, summoning flame to her hand. The small blue fire flickered, but held fast.

Catching her lower lip between her teeth, her brow pursed as she concentrated on moving the elements through the flame. The cerulean melted away into crimson. Mumbling the necessary words to the spirits, it became a soothing yellow. Sweat trailed down her temples, as she fought against the exhaustion trying to consume her. And finally, she managed to coax the tiny blaze into turning white.

The sound of grinding stone coupled with the ground shaking slightly beneath her feet, made her smile in triumph. She had done it!

Closing her fingers over her palm for a moment, she splayed her fingers out once more, returning the fire to its normal orange hue.

Stumbling inside, she placed her free hand against the wall of the rocky corridor to guide her through. As it was, the light she held was dim at best.

A hiss of pain stole past her lips when her hip bumped sharply into a stone outcropping.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in her limbs, she started to trudge forward again. As she walked, something began to tickle the back of her conscious. She tried to disregard it at first, but the feeling wouldn't go away. Her eyes narrowed sharply when she realized exactly what she was feeling. Instead of looking back over her shoulder, she picked up the pace, even though her body begged her to sit down and rest.

Her chin firmed, and a stubborn expression twisted her visage. She was too close to fail now, but that thought didn't disperse the sinking feeling in her stomach.

Itachi had already found her.

**-o-**

Onyx orbs narrowed on the entrance to the cavern. He could sense her signature inside. Itachi glanced over at his brother. Sasuke was eyeing the mouth of the cave suspiciously. He understood how his sibling felt. He had felt much the same, when Sakura had shown it to him the first time. How many times a day did an ANBU squad pass by and no one never noticed its existence, even with a Hyuuga in tow? Never mind the fact they'd established the routes around Konoha a week or so after they'd arrived, no less.

"Only my sister-in-law," the corner of Sasuke's quirked upward into a half-smile, while he shook his head.

"Guard the entrance, and wait for Hyuuga's squad."

"You're going in after her?" Sasuke inquired, although he already knew the answer to that particular query.

Itachi dipped his head in affirmation, before springing out of the trees to the ground below.

Sasuke's near smile curved into a frown the moment his brother disappeared into the mouth of the cave. He could only hope that Sakura hadn't already tried something insane. However, with her current track record. Sasuke didn't harbor much optimism when it came to that particular woman's antics.

He crouched down on the branch to wait for Neji's hastily scraped together team to arrive.

**-o-**

She took the last step onto the azure dais, her limbs quivering with the effort. The cerulean pyre flies hovered and flitted about, their light piercing the gloomy darkness. Without warning, Sakura experienced a cold shiver skating tellingly up her spine causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. The tremble skated back down to the very soles of her feet, curling her toes, and causing her to be filled with apprehension.

She didn't have to turn and look to know that Itachi was there, watching her. The strange, nearly unrecognizable sharp edge to his chakra made her feel uneasy. She could almost feel his agitation pressing up against her battered senses.

The silence was deafening.

She squeezed her hands into fists.

The sound of her voice was raspy, and thick with emotion, "I'm so sorry." Which in essence, was the truth. When everything was said and done, the last thing she wanted to do was to cause a rift in their already tenuous relationship.

He didn't respond.

Finally, Sakura turned to face him. Green searched out obsidian, her eyes widened substantially when their gazes met and clung. The hue of his eyes took on the all too familiar shade of crimson, and his pupils distended and stretched into deadly, bladed pinwheels. The moment his pupils started to spin in the iris, a harsh gasp escaped Sakura's lips. Her back arched back from the shock of the force of the chakra invading her senses.

Encroaching darkness grabbed and pulled at her senses. It slowly seeped into every pore, imprisoning her mind in its relentless grasp. She had never felt anything like it.

Her nostrils flared rapidly. Panting for breath, she shut her eyes against the gloom dancing across the expanse of her vision. She wrapped a hand underneath the sling that held Hana, and pulled the feline closer, searching for comfort in her silent presence.

A shadow engulfed her and her senses prickled.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, almost afraid of what she mind find.

What she saw, made her exhale all her pent up breath sharply.

The rocky cavern was gone, and instead she found herself staring up into a moon, that was as crimson as fresh blood. She knew this place. She'd dreamt it. The rubicund sky, and the dark gray clouds lolling past almost lazily. The raucous calls of crows could be heard in the distance.

A chillingly cold gust of lifeless air whooshed past her, forcing goose bumps to pimple across the flesh of her arm.

In the span of an eye blink, Itachi appeared in front of her.

"I've been here before," Sakura told him softly, immediately recognizing the place from her dream.

He arched a brow at her sudden and unexpected announcement. Itachi shook his head, "That's impossible."

"I dreamed this. Where are we?" Sakura took a step back, to put space between them. The fact that this was actually real, made her more nervous than she'd like to admit. It was a place that held malevolence and enmity. As naive as Sakura was of shinobi, she instinctively knew this was an emptiness that was used as a weapon to cause death.

She gulped nervously.

"Tsukuyomi."

"You? You're causing this?" Sakura asked, her eyes widening. She scanned her surroundings once again, and was unable to suppress the shiver that wracked through her slender frame.

"Aa," he replied and with a quick step, he bridged the distance between them once again. He added coolly, "It seems that you aren't able to resist this particular ability. If you do not return willingly, I will not hesitate to use force. The Hokage orders that you peacefully surrender, if you comply, then he will overlook the fact that you ran away against his command that you stay in the compound."

Sakura knew that her time was drawing short. If she didn't do something, he would take her back, and there would be nothing she could do about it. Pleading with him wouldn't work either. When it came to the orders from the Hokage, Itachi was too loyal to disobey. In this situation, he wasn't her husband. He was an ANBU Captain, under the command of the Yondaime. She could see it there in the hard determination in his eyes. He hadn't come with the intention of mercy.

She averted her gaze, unable to meet the emotionless orbs staring through her any longer. Sakura shook her head hard, sending the tangled tresses flying, "I'm sorry. I can't go back just because the Hokage commands it. Hana is dying, and this is the only chance I've got. I'm going to take it."

The air around her changed immediately, the pressure intensified and she clenched her teeth so that she wouldn't cry out.

Using every shred of willpower she had, Sakura activated the bond she held with the Guardians. Warmth invaded her limbs, chasing away the cold that Tsukuyomi brought. Immediately, the malice of Tsukuyomi was swept away from her.

The whites of her eyes flickered, and then gave way to green. Her brows snapped together, and she met Itachi's fierce look head on. Her heart squeezed at the frosty expression contorting his entire visage.

The red skies were forced back, and part of the azure dais appeared below her feet. However, the interior of the cavern didn't appear, instead Itachi was faced with looking into the Guardian's sanctum. Large, obelisk marble white pillars sprung forth at the back of the platform, with verdant vines wrapping and spiraling upward around the ancient stone sentinels, reminding him of the intricate design that sometimes appeared on her skin. Despite himself, Itachi was stunned by what he was witnessing. He idly wondered, if this is what Ino had seen that time she tried to attack Sakura. Behind the pillars was an infinite roiling blackness. It vaguely reminded him of the almost abysmal crack that had slashed the sky above Konoha only the day before. The separation between them was split directly through the middle. He was left standing in Tsukuyomi, and she on the dais in what he could only describe as a sacred place.

He fastened his gaze back onto his trembling, and obviously exhausted wife. Her knees were quaking, and her feet was flecked with scrapes and scratches that had scabbed over. The pale cast to her face, was starting to make him nervous.

She rasped at him, telling him once again, "I'm sorry. I really didn't want all of this…" Her voice trailed away almost listlessly.

A muscle in his cheek flexed noticeably when he clenched his jaw tightly. He replied curtly, revealing none of the concern that he felt, "I do not want to hear empty apologies, Sakura. If you meant it, you would come with me willingly."

He was slightly startled when a tear suddenly, slowly trekked down her cheek. She shook her head, "You are asking me to abandon Hana. I can't do that. She's family."

Itachi's gaze sharpened, when he realized that discussing this was going to get them absolutely nowhere. She had made up her mind, and there would be nothing he could say to sway her. He tried one last time anyway, "No one is asking that of you, Sakura. She can be taken to the Inuzuka clinic."

Sakura lifted her eyes to meet his. The weight of the following words out of her mouth, revealed her true purpose, "I don't think anyone here would have the ability to heal a wounded Guardian."

That was when Itachi realized that Sakura intended to actually leave somehow. How something like that would be possible, especially since Sakura had ran to a cave with only one entrance. He had no idea. He had suspected that she might want to attempt something with the altar, but he hadn't expected this.

"Where do you intend to go? There is no exit. The entrance is being guarded," he informed her coolly, a grim expression on his face.

"To my people," Sakura gave him a small, trembling smile. She hugged Hana tightly against her, "I don't want to leave, but my time is drawing short. I'm glad though, that I could at least," tears started to pool in the cradle of her expressive green eyes, "see you one last time. I don't know if I'll be able to come back home, once I go there."

Pain in the deepest part of Itachi wrenched at the finality in Sakura's tone. Her words affected him more than he would like to admit.

The icy wall that he had erected the moment he had been ordered to track Sakura down to bring her back melted away. He wasn't sure if it was because of the way she was looking at him, or the threat of her leaving and never coming back. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

The moment that aloof mask cracked, Sakura saw it. She lifted her thumb to her lips, exactly same way she'd seen Naruto and Sasuke do during their sparring practices and bit down. Her teeth tore through the tender flesh, causing her to wince.

Blood pooled to the surface and she bent to touch the altar with the bleeding appendage.

The crimson in his eyes drained away, and Tsukuyomi disappeared. Itachi knew instinctively, that he couldn't let her do whatever it was that she was attempting. The thought of Sakura leaving him, no matter the reason, was unacceptable in his mind.

Sakura gasped when strong, tapered fingers clamped around her wrist, forcing her hand to a stop.

Her head shot up in protest, "Itachi wha-"

She was cut off when his mouth covered her own in a bruising, almost punishing kiss. Regardless of the thoughts telling her to push him away, and finish what she came here to do, she started to lose herself to his touch. She could almost taste the desperation and hunger behind the caress of his lips. It matched the feelings she felt in that moment.

She broke away first, and attempted to pull her wrist from his grasp. He wasn't having any of it his hold tightened considerably, making her wince.

Her voice cracked, "Itachi, I have to go…"

"No." His response was instantaneous. It also had nothing to do anything with the Hokage's order anymore. He couldn't let Sakura leave him. Not like this. Not ever.

Sakura was becoming steadily aware of Hana's shallow breathing. She had to do something quickly, even if it could possibly break her heart.

She knew that it was a long shot, and it was foolish of her for even daring to hope. Sakura was a person who had buried childish dreams the day her parents had died. She tilted her head to the side, and she looked straight into Itachi's obsidian orbs with a contemplative look.

"Will you come with me?" Sakura asked him softly, her free hand coming forward to gently cup his cheek. "I know it's a lot to ask you to trust me all of a sudden, when all I've been doing lately is push you away." She caught her lower lip between her teeth uncertainly, "Will you trust me?"

Itachi's fingers twitched, and flexed over her wrist almost uncertainly. It was obvious he hadn't expected her to ask him that.

A flicker of hope, flared to life in the confines of her chest. His eyes closed a moment, the soft veil of his lashes guarding his emotions from her sight.

She removed her hand from his cheek, the appendage falling uselessly to her side. Sakura waited for his answer with baited breath.

His grip grew slack, and finally he released his hold on her wrist, freeing her completely.

When his eyelids swept open to look at her, Sakura felt her heart sink slightly. His expression was still hard, but it was no longer unrelenting and frigidly cold.

Her gaze flit past him, when she felt several chakra signatures closing in on their location. Eyeing Itachi furtively beneath her pink lashes, she touched her thumb to the surface of the platform, hoping against all hope that somehow, she was doing it correctly. The vague clues that Hana had given her had left her with only an unclear, and vague idea of how to proceed. However, it was all she had to go on.

She pressed her thumb against the smooth, and surprisingly warm surface. The moment her blood touched the altar, the cavern began to shake and tremble.

The glowing blue pyre flies that had only been flitting lazily about the area before, came together in the center of the platform above their heads and converged.

Wispy azure and cerulean tendrils wrapped around the young woman, bathing her in warm light. Whispering voices swelled in volume, filling the space around them with ghostly echoes.

Sakura met Itachi's gaze, a pleading look in her eyes. She opened her mouth, her lips forming the words even as no sound escaped, _I love you._

Even though she knew it might be a futile effort Sakura held out her hand to Itachi, asking without words one more time, to trust her.

Just as the convulsing, writhing energy was about to take her. Itachi went against all his deeply ingrained instincts and grasped her outstretched hand in an almost tender squeeze. He wrapped his arms around her slender shoulders, hugging her tightly against his chest and shut his eyes.

The squad that Sasuke had waited for to arrive, stormed the cavern with every intention to capture their intended target. They all arrived just in time to see Itachi and Sakura being swept away by a rippling, and blinding cerulean light.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: **My readers' continued support is very appreciated by this writer. I realized looking at the date from when I first posted, that this fic will have been posted a complete year. Harken's Bell - has been a pleasure to share with everyone, and for those who have been there since the beginning - there are no words to thank you enough. Everyone else who has recently come across this fic, thank you and welcome. **HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 24**

Sasuke's eyes rounded in complete confusion, nearly bugging out of his skull, when he and the rest of the squad came upon the couple embracing in the center of the altar. They were ensconced in the strange glow, of blue light. He didn't even have time to blink before they disappeared in a trickle of shimmering cerulean.

The moment they were gone, the blue light twisted in the center of the altar and then dispersed into little specks of azure that began to flit around the room, almost like a swarm of winking fireflies. His eyelids shut tightly for several moments, and then ever so slowly he opened them, thinking that he might have just witnessed an intricately made illusion.

Unfortunately, the altar still remained empty. Sasuke stiffened noticeably when the other nin, turned to look at him questioningly. He bit back the retort that started to well up from the back of his throat, instead it came out in a guttural growl of vexation. He buried his hand in his hair. He had known that his brother's feelings for Sakura were deep, though why his brother felt that way was still a mystery to him.

When Neji opened his mouth to question the youngest Uchiha sibling, Sasuke leveled a cold look in his direction, an inky brow rising high over his eyes as he returned the Hyuuga's stare. Neji clamped his mouth shut, already coming to the conclusion that Sasuke wouldn't know anything more than the rest of the squad. Sasuke stalked past the still flabbergasted group and moved up the steps to the dais, to get a better look.

He ran his fingers over the smooth, and somewhat grainy surface. He noticed the red smear of blood streaking over the center of the altar. His eyes narrowed, as he circled it warily, uncertain if getting so close to where Itachi and Sakura disappeared was a smart idea.

When nothing happened, he glanced back at the Hyuuga, still somewhat at a loss for words.

Kiba stepped up beside him, his sharp eyes surveying the scene. Akamaru slipped past the two males, placing his wet nose to the ground. The canine sniffed the area, circling the area. When he was finished, he lifted his head and woofed at them.

Kiba translated, "He says, the blood isn't Itachi's."

"So that leaves us to believe what we all probably suspected. Sakura somehow activated this area, for a motive still unknown," Kakashi added thoughtfully, and then he glanced at the Hyuuga out of the corner of his right eye, "We should probably take a sample to Tsunade-sama, and have it checked."

Neji dipped his head, agreeing with the other Captain, "Indeed, at this point there's nothing further we can do, until further assessment has been done. Aburame send a message to request a field medic to take a sample."

Shino merely nodded his head once, and immediately fulfilled the order by sending a messenger bug with the request.

Sasuke asked quietly, "Are we going to stay here then?"

Neji tilted his head to the side slightly to peer at the stoic male, and finally dipped his head, "This cave has been overlooked for months. Until today, we didn't know it existed. It's purpose is still unidentified, so we will explore the perimeter and," the Hyuuga leveled a steady look at Sai, "I want you to place sentinels around the altar, so that if they return we will be alerted immediately."

Sai reached down, his fingers nimbly taking up an empty scroll. Black swirling lines quickly formed beneath the amazingly graceful stroke of the white bristles of his paint brush, the fading lacquer finish giving away the fact that it had been used in battle many times.

The art leapt from the stiff, cream-hued parchment in a puff of white smoke. The other nin barely caught the sight of a snake slithering into the shadows. A bat flapped noisily when a second, poof popped. The mammal flew upwards searching for a slight, rocky outcropping in the granite ceiling, to hang from. When it found it, the scrabble of its claws echoed in the silence, quickly finding purchase.

Neji averted his attention to the others, "Hatake, take your squad to conduct a search around the perimeter, to look for any abnormalities. We'll take care of the rest in here, for now."

Kakashi nodded, but then inquired coolly, "When we finish, are we to standby?"

"Yes, until we receive further instruction from the Hokage," Neji responded curtly, and then pivoted on the balls of his heel sharply, his byakugan activating as he spoke.

The four man cell immediately vacated through the entrance tunnel, while Neji's group examined the interior of the mysterious cavern.

**-o-**

The undulating, cylindrical spiraling, whirling darkness speckled with countless silvery flecks that made Sakura think of a starry night, convulsed around them as she and Itachi surged through the mysterious space at a nearly blinding speed. Glowing blue tendrils wove in and out of the shadowy grays, that made up the area they were in, giving the couple some minor visibility.

She was comforted by the strong arms wrapped around her protectively. She felt the reassuring warm lump of Hana between them as they spiraled forever upward towards a sphere of chartreuse light, that seemed pulsed in time with the rhythm of her heartbeat.

Itachi tensed slightly against her, his assessing gaze trained above her head. It was obvious by their straight trajectory early on that, that was exactly where they were heading. Sakura noticed that he hadn't activated his sharingan, and wondered idly that perhaps he realized the futility of such an action in this mysterious space that was taking them to a place, only Hana knew.

They both simultaneously shut their eyes when they hit the outer surface of the pulsating globe.

Warmth blanketed over the pair, as they passed through. When nothing initially happened, Sakura felt her toes touch something solid and surprisingly coarse like gravel. She opened her eyes, only to feel her heart pound even harder at the sight of the landscape before her. Extricating herself from Itachi's arms, she stepped back, both hands coming to cover her mouth in shock.

She had been in this place before. In the other dream she once had. This sleeping forest, was exactly the same as she recalled. The eerie silence sent a shiver up her spine.

Mist covered the floor around their ankles. Sakura winced when she tried to take a trembling step forward. The dirt scratched at the already very sore feet. She stumbled slightly, and was immediately grateful for the gentle grip of her husband's hand beneath the crook of her arm.

Just as she remembered the canopy of the large, majestic trees surrounding them was strangely still. There were no wind spirits around to dance through the leaves.

The dull jade grass that grew around the trunks, dotted the seemingly endless landscape.

There was no sky here, nor clouds. Only never-ending gray space.

Itachi inquired coolly, surveying their surroundings with an emotionless gaze, "Where do we go from here?"

Sakura shocked him when she placed her arms loosely over this shoulders, clasping her fingers together. Leaning her forehead against his chest, she whispered in a hoarse voice, "Thank you. I didn't think that…"

She was forced to stop when his finger settled over her lips. Itachi reminded her in an uncharacteristically gentle voice, "We came here to accomplish a specific goal. We should get moving."

Sakura swallowed hard, and nearly smacked her own forehead at the reminder from Itachi. She backed away, and turned away to hide her emotions from his too penetrating gaze. She nodded and then pointed in front of them, "I remember following this path this way."

"You remember?" He arched a brow at his wife as she started to limp forward, "I thought that you didn't know how to activate the altar until recently…"

At the skeptical tone, Sakura sighed softly and shook her head, "I didn't but I dreamed of this before. It was after the night the Guardian's gave me the warning, and Hana decided that we should finally be truthful and explain things to you."

"You also mentioned that you also dreamed of Tsukuyomi," Itachi reminded her idly and then he finally had enough of watching her limp, a tight grimace tugging at her lips as she forced herself to keep moving. He felt her flinch in surprise when he suddenly reached for her, lifting her off her feet and cradling her against him.

"Wh - what are you doing? You don't have to…" She trailed off and her eyes closed momentarily, alerting to him just how exhausted she was. He glanced over at her feet, noting the tears at the hem of her pants and the stone bruises marring the flesh of her pale feet. He was slightly impressed despite himself at strength of her loyalty to her loved ones. He wondered if she would ever give him the same one day. Itachi felt something in his chest squeeze when he remembered the words she mouthed to him before he reached for her outstretched hand. She had told him that she loved him.

Sakura opened her eyes to peer up at his stern set features, "You can put me down. I'll walk. You don't have to…" Her voice trailed away again when he stared down into her upturned face with an unreadable expression.

He frowned down at her, "You didn't answer me before. You also mentioned that you dreamt of Tsukuyomi."

She lifted an arm, and placed a hand on the cat laying in the cradle of her stomach. She gave him a weak smile, "I did. But it wasn't a recent dream - well not really. I don't usually remember my dreams but I don't know why I did this time." She shook her head and buried her face against him, unable to explain something she didn't understand herself. She wondered if it had been meant to serve as some kind of warning. It was likely that might be the case. Heck it was even possible that a Guardian planted the dream in her head, instead of just telling her what she needed to know directly. It wouldn't shock her at this point in her life, if that was the truth of it.

Itachi thought about her response, and mulled over it all. It was a bit disconcerting that she had seen something so private to him without him even realizing it.

"Remember that green sphere of light we passed through to get here?" She suddenly asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Aa."

"There should be another one. I remember it being at the end of the forest, but it was more aquamarine in color. Although who knows how accurate that is anyway," Sakura spoke in a near whisper, with her cheek against his chest.

He could tell that she was reaching her limit.

Looking away, Itachi activated his sharing and then decided to travel in the shinobi way. Leaping up into the branches of one of the oak-like trees next to the narrow trail, he glanced down at the blanket of mist that swirled in eddies along the gravel path. It was a strange sight, seeing as there was no breeze.

He glanced up over his shoulder noting the direction of the sphere that led to their entrance, and then back the way they had been heading. He thought about his limited options and then ultimately realized that all he had to go on, was Sakura's vague clue.

Itachi began to move with the speeds that only a few ANBU Captains were able to match. As he traversed through the canopy, he quickly went over his mental checklist of the available resources, including his weapons that he had bothered to bring with him.

Just as he was beginning to doubt the direction he had taken, sharp crimson orbs caught sight of the exact aquamarine globe that Sakura had described to him.

He shook her slightly, pulling her out of the sleep she had fallen into. She gazed up at him blearily, the space between her eyebrows scrunching as she frowned questioningly up at him. He knew that she wasn't really quite aware of her surroundings yet, so he jumped down back onto the dirt path and lifted her into a half sitting position, "Is that it?"

Peering over, Sakura's eyes widened when she caught sight of the large glowing orb. Instantly the young woman was awake. She whispered in awe, giving away the fact that she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing, "Well, I'll be damned. It's exactly the same…"

Sakura glanced down at the feline, and felt her heart nearly still. If she thought the cat looked bad before, Hana was about at her limit. The rattle in her breathing was fading, and Sakura knew it was because the feline wasn't able to fight it anymore. She rubbed the cat's fur gently with tender fingers, "We're almost there! You have to hold on just a bit longer Hana…"

At least Sakura hoped that was true. It wasn't like she knew what would happen after they actually got to where they needed to be.

Itachi followed the direction of Sakura's gaze, and in a glance, he began to doubt that they would make it.

Wordlessly he started to travel towards the turquoise light once again, while expertly lining the soles of his feet with chakra, picking up speed substantially with each step he took.

Once they got close and within range of entering the sphere, Sakura asked him suddenly, "Would you put me down now? I think I've rested enough."

Itachi's expression gave away his skepticism at the sudden request.

"Please? I would rather walk through that on my own two feet," she explained before he could refuse her outright.

Just as he was about to open his mouth in response, another male voice, one she recognized bit out at them sharply, "Intruders are not allowed to pass through. You do not belong here. I don't know how you managed to find this sacred place, but you must turn around and go back to wherever you came from…"

Sakura turned her gaze from her husband's face to the dark green cloaked figure striding from around the back of the sphere, a set of deadly double-bladed swords in each hand. At his chest the cloak was held together, by a golden clasp that was fashioned into the shape of a falcon. He moved with a deadly grace that alerted the shinobi that the stranger was serious on making them turnaround should they refuse. She noticed Itachi stiffen at the sudden threat out of the corner of her eyes. The length between his feet widened slightly, giving away the fact that if they were suddenly were attacked, he was ready to meet the threat head on.

She pressed a calming hand against his chest, even though she felt anything but, "Please…"

Without bothering to glance at her, he set her down on her feet gently without taking his eyes off of the stranger.

Taking in a deep breath, she pulled the material away from the feline so that Hana was visible. She met the threat with a strong tone, looking straight into the shadowy recesses beneath the hood, "I have come here, to save her life."

Immediately he wrenched back his hood, revealing his face. Sakura sucked in her breath sharply. Long hair, as azure as the rivers that flowed on the outskirts of Konoha, trailed down his back in a graceful, silken wave. He wore two ponytails on either side of his face, just as her mother had always done ever since she could remember. He had hawkish features, that fit with the warrior-like way he carried himself. He was broad shouldered and just a couple inches taller than Itachi. Sakura realized that she was looking at a true shrine warrior. She released the air in a slow whoosh.

He strode towards them in quick powerful strides.

Itachi's arm shot up, and he grasped the hilt of his wakizashi, his eyes intent on the mysterious male.

"Is that Harken?" Once he got in range to ascertain that was indeed who he was looking at, he growled at her, "How did this happen?"

Sakura shook her head hard at this, not allowing him to intimidate her, "There is no time for this now. I will explain it all later if I must."

He hesitated a moment, but then, "You are right, but …" Navy eyes went past her to glare at Itachi, his noise crinkling as he openly sneered, "Why would you bring one of his kind here?"

Sakura opted to adorn the cold look, she had often used so many times in the past. Her voice was frosty, the brittle quality coming from such a small female taking him aback, "He is my husband." Ignoring the look on his face she snapped at him, "Are you going to dally until she takes her last breath? Was Harken mistaken in her request that I bring her here?" The name felt strange, coming from her lips.

His face flushed at the query, but just as quickly his expression became apathetic, "Forgive me. We can speak about such things later. Come…"

He turned and walked straight into the sphere. Sakura glanced back at Itachi, who still hadn't taken his hand off of the hilt. Though his face gave nothing away, she could see the distrust deeply mired in the black depths of his eyes.

She knew that, there was nothing she could say to inspire otherwise. As it was, she didn't know what to expect. It was beneath her to allow such groundless lies to spill from her lips.

Sakura announced, "I will go first."

And before he could respond she took three steps forward, and then without looking back she stepped into the twisting aquamarine abyss.

**-o-**

It had floored Kakashi when the Hokage himself appeared, with Shizune and Hinata in tow.

It wasn't often that much struck the copy-nin dumb, but these was one of the few moments in life, that the nin could count on one hand that fit the situation. The third to be exact.

He tilted his head at the Yondaime.

Sasuke and Sai glanced at Naruto's father, but didn't bother to comment on the oddity of the situation.

Naruto summed it up for the shocked nin, "What are you doing here old man? Shouldn't you be behind a desk somewhere, filing paper work or something?"

Minato responded by delivering a light cuff to the back of his son's head, in a mock playful manner. Naruto rubbed the spot with the palm of his hand, and was about to protest until he got a good look at his father's face. He ducked his head, and glanced away not wanting to further draw the Hokage's ire.

"Has anything transpired since your last report?" Was the sharp query that Kakashi had been expecting.

"There's been nothing to note about the perimeter. However, Hyuuga-sama's squad is conducting a thorough assessment inside. They may have discovered something other than the blood stain," he nodded his head in the direction of the entrance, his gaze coming to land momentarily on Shizune. Honestly, he was a bit surprised that Tsunade would send out one of her best for such a simple sample retrieval.

Sakura must have really ticked the head doctor off for the blond woman to go so far, unless Tsunade-same was extremely curious about the sample. That was a possibility as well.

Shizune nodded wordlessly, disappearing into the mouth of the cave. Hinata bowed politely before following the older woman inside.

"Forgive me for questioning your motives Hokage-sama," Kakashi decided to ask the same query as Naruto, but in a less abrasive way, "What brings you down here on a routine investigation?"

Minato sent him a sharp look that spoke volumes, "This is anything but routine Hatake."

The copy nin remained silent, knowing that in doing so, he would receive more answers than if he pressed further.

In a swirl of white and red, the Yondaime turned on his heel, to inspect the outside of the cave himself. He arched a brow at it, before inquiring curtly, "At least four squads rotate through this area on route, every month on a typical schedule. Two of which, have a Hyuuga clan member. In all that time, no one noticed it."

With each word he spoke, his tone grew noticeably terse.

Sasuke murmured under his breath, "And you haven't even seen the inside yet."

Minato strode inside, with Kakashi's squad in tow. Kakashi recognized the look on his former sensei's face. He knew that the Yellow Flash was not a shinobi to stand by idly, and even though it was unheard of for a Hokage to venture out of the confines of the village without an ANBU guard squad would be frowned upon, it wasn't something that would ever hold Minato back. Kakashi wasn't sure if he should be proud or frightened by that particular knowledge.

However that wasn't enough to stop this man when he was angered by something or someone.

Minato paused when he stepped into the large cavernous room with the blue pyre flies, and mysterious dais that matched the color of the winking azure lights.

Standing in the center of the platform was Neji, and Hinata had taken up to standing next to him, her mouth unhinged as she gazed at her surroundings with the byakugan blood limit.

"Captain Hyuuga, have you discovered anything new since your last message?" Minato asked in a sudden, and loud booming voice alerting the male in question.

Neji didn't respond right away, nor did he turn to acknowledge the Hokage's presence. He finally replied bemused by what he was witnessing with the byakugan, "I'm attempting to make a rough sketch of what I can see. Unfortunately, I am not the artist that Sai is…"

Minato's form flickered momentarily, and then in the span of an eye blink he appeared next to the ANBU captain.

He glanced down at the small notebook, the page was already filled with the scribbles and interesting pencil lines. The Hokage gestured to the picture, "Can you explain what you've done so far?"

Neji nodded and ran a callused fingertip over the darker lines, "This is the rocky exterior you see with the natural eye," He paused and moved the appendage to the lighter streaks that he'd made with the pencil that was scrawled all over the image, "These are the chakra veins I see… everywhere. They travel down the length of the rock there," the Hyuuga pointed above his head in the direction of Sai's bat, and then slowly, as if he was trying to draw with the tip of his finger he traced downward, the appendage finally coming to a stop when he pointed to the platform directly beneath his feet, "They all intersect into one big line here, forming and shaping what I can only describe to you as a sphere-like mass…"

"And you mentioned in the message that the blood isn't Itachi's. That means we can only assume that it belongs to Sakura - or perhaps even the cat." the Yondaime rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and he considered what Neji had just revealed.

In an uncharacteristic display, Minato ran an agitated hand through his hair, "Why would she decide not to come to me?"

Naruto grumbled irritated that his father was being vague on purpose to get them to talk, "I wouldn't have wanted to either. You placed her under house arrest."

Minato turned towards his son who was surprisingly glaring at him openly, "It was to protect her and everyone else until we figured out what was going on and who those men were."

Sasuke cleared his throat, and finally spoke up unable to hold back any longer, "I think she was after something unrelated to the incident with the Bijuu."

"What would she be after that we wouldn't be able to assist her with?" Minato was intrigued by the younger nin's sudden announcement. Maybe with whatever Sasuke was thinking, he could finally figure something out and get closer to finding the missing couple.

"I don't really know her all that well, but -" Sasuke shook his head, "if I were to hazard a guess. I think it might have something to do with the cat."

Kiba burst out, "If that's the case, then why wouldn't she just bring the cat to my sister's clinic? I mean, she knows my sis is a vet."

Sasuke shook his head, "I was the one who carried it to the hospital. It was hurt pretty bad. I think… it was dying. I doubt there would be anything that your sister could do for it." At the inu-nin's dirty look, the Uchiha added remembering the things his brother had mentioned to him about the feline, "That cat was not a normal animal."

"I've obtained the sample. I will take it to Tsunade-sama, and report the diagnostic analysis as soon as she's finished," Shizune suddenly interrupted the conversation.

Minato dipped his head in acknowledgement, his eyes following the doctor as she left, his expression contemplative. Hinata bowed and went after Shizune, to escort the medic back to Konoha safely.

"No matter who that blood belongs to, I believe that it probable that it is the key to whatever this altar does," he murmured more to himself, than the others as the women left.

"It's some kind of transporter," Sai suddenly interjected in a monotone voice.

Everyone glanced at the stoic male curiously.

"When we arrived on the scene, they disappeared - however," he pointed at the pyre lights that were flitting lazily about the cavern, "these had converged into one around Itachi Uchiha and Sakura. When they were no longer present, the lights returned to doing this."

Shino added coolly, "I noticed that as well. It's likely that these are linked to the chakra 'veins' that Neji is describing to us. I think that is probably as an accurate assessment as we will get without being able to ask the target directly."

"How did your brother react when he received the news that Sakura had escaped the hospital?" Minato suddenly asked Sasuke out of the blue.

Sasuke arched an aristocratic brow. He smirked at the Hokage and answered the query in one word, "Pissed."

Neji interjected while snapping his notebook shut, "When he arrived at the shrine, during our initial search. He was agitated but it seemed he already knew about this place."

"You suspect he might have already known what Sakura was trying to attempt with her escape?"

Before Neji could form a proper response, Sasuke shook his head vehemently, his smirk thinning into a grim line. "My brother had no idea why she ran away. He told me himself though, that she was someone who was too stubborn to change her mind when she decided on something. I do think however, he suspected that she was planning to try something with this altar."

"If that's the case, why didn't he report this cave's existence earlier?" Neji shot at the Uchiha coldly. He put the small black notebook back into one of his empty holster pockets and turned to wait for the response.

"That answer is a bit too easy, don't you think?" Kakashi grinned through his mask at the bristling Hyuuga, who was obviously miffed about being interrupted, "It's one you probably already know the answer to."

"I didn't spend as much time with the woman as the rest of you _apparently_ have," he snapped back losing his temper, not appreciating the barbed comment from the other ANBU captain.

"Oi Neji, don't be such an ass," Naruto rolled his eyes at the Hyuuga, his lips twisting into a frown. "It's not like you don't remember how Sakura was when we first came to the village. She was very secretive about everything. She didn't even want us near the shrine. Remember?"

"What's your point?" Neji shook his head at the blond, not understanding the sudden turn in the discussion, nor what merit it actually had other than to annoy him.

Naruto just looked at his father, his usual jovial expression turning solemn. It was almost a mirror image of the visage the Hokage typically wore when he was serious himself, "He probably didn't say anything because its possible that he was working to earn her trust. We all had to work in some way to get her to lower her guard. I don't think she realized that any of us considered her a friend until recently."

"What makes you so certain about that?" Neji asked in an uncharacteristically soft voice, as he thought about what Naruto just said.

"The way she smiled changed," was the immediate response.

It was so simple and yet it made so much sense to those who had dealt with the acid edge of Sakura's tongue in the beginning.

"That doesn't alter the fact that she went directly against the Hokage's order," Neji folded his arms against his chest, his still byakugan activated eyes boring into the blond.

Naruto shook his head at the obstinate male, "I never said that it would." Huffing a loud sigh he leveled an aggravated look at everyone in the room, "Shit! I'm not really good at explaining what I mean." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and turned away from the group.

Kiba chuckled and shook his head, before his lips flattened into a thoughtful line, "I know what you are trying to say Naruto. Heck, I met the girl just after her parents' had been murdered. Shikamaru had a hell of a time of getting her to talk to him and that's sayin' something. He was better than a lot of adults at strategy even back then, and she almost made him crack. In the end, she started to talk to him because she wanted to."

Akamaru barked for good measure, adding in his two cents.

"How does this pertain to the present situation?" Neji quipped, starting to lose his patience with them. He wasn't sure why the Hokage was letting them ramble about things that was not getting them any closer to a solution.

Surprisingly Sasuke spoke up, getting the gist of what Naruto and Kiba was trying to get across, "That woman is a lot of things, but she is not a person who would do anything with malicious intent. Everything from this point, is speculation."

"How can you be so certain of that?" Shino pressed a forefinger on the bridge of his nose to push his sunglasses back into place.

Sasuke met the bug-nin's gaze with a steady expression, "She surrendered herself to the Bijuu to protect the village."

"You believe that those men were actually Bijuu?" Kiba was surprised that anyone actually accepted that as the truth.

The Yondaime had to concede to agree with Sasuke on all the points that he'd made. He had witnessed the interaction between Sakura and the Bijuu first hand. She had tried to protect them. He remember the desperation that had seemed to literally ooze from the woman. She had known better than any of them, just how powerful those strange males were. He had also felt the pressure of their massive chakra signatures. It had literally pushed seasoned ANBU captains to the ground, and not only that, the perpetrators had smacked the Sandaime and himself aside like rag dolls.

"Don't you?" Sasuke asked the inu-nin with a frown.

The Hokage stepped in before this argument started to spiral out of control, "I think that we've discussed everything that we know. Until something else comes to my attention, I will station lookouts to alert us if they happen to return. For now, you may return home until further notice."

The shinobi straightened at the finality in the Hokage's voice.

Each nin with the exception of Naruto saluted before they left. It wasn't that Naruto didn't respect his dad, he just felt really weird saluting his own father.

Kakashi was the last to exit, and before he turned to leave he met that pair of blue eyes that he knew so well. The two of them had been through literal hell together, and even though Minato had the trademark stoic shinobi expression, the copy-nin knew exactly where to look for the stress lines that would mar his forehead.

And this morning, the grooves were a little deeper than usual.

He knew that his next action might cross the line, but Kakashi did it anyway. He reached over and clamped his hand on the other man's shoulder, drawing Minato's tired eyes to his face.

The slight smile that tugged at his former sensei's lips encouraged him to speak his what was really on his mind. He gave Minato's shoulder a slight squeeze and then finally removed his hand, allowing it to fall back to his side

"I know it's not much consolation, but Itachi is with her."

Minato shook his head, "According to what they've reported to me, it's obvious he willingly went with her despite the fact that I specifically ordered him to bring her back."

"Don't you remember what Obito used to say to us in similar situations?" Kakashi asked softly, knowing full well that Uzumaki-sama did.

Minato's eyes widened slightly and then his eyelids fell half mast, hiding the emotion that he knew lurked in his gaze, "Those that break the rules are scum. But those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum." The Hokage's head slowly dipped with each word that left his lips, "I'll never forget that. It's just so hard for me to believe that Itachi would suddenly become a rule breaker."

Kakashi rolled his eyes then, swallowing past the growing lump in his throat, "Well, he was an Uchiha too after all. Maybe it's just in his blood."

Finally Minato gave his former student a small grin, somewhat amused by the offhanded comparison. Obito had never been the stereotypical Uchiha, except of course for the stubborn bull-headedness that was distinctive of that clan.

Kakashi was relieved to see that Hokage picked up on what he was trying to get at. In reality, Hatake didn't see Sakura's escapade as all that important compared to the looming threat of the Bijuu or whatever they were, returning to wreak havoc and destroy the village if they suddenly felt like it.

The Alliance had finally found a home for the nomadic shinobi clans that enabled them to protect the younger generation. Obito's death in a clash with enemy nin, hadn't been all that unusual in those days. Rin had also fallen on another occasion. Kakashi wasn't ready to give up this peaceful existence they obtained without a fight. Bijuu or not, he wasn't about to allow them to take away the stability that was becoming normal for the rising ranks of the young shinobi and kunoichi. For nin like Minato and himself, it was a luxury that they had longed for, and fought for with the price of the blood of nin just like Obito and Rin.

In the years of his youth, he had struggled to survive amidst the warring daimyo's who had used clans like those in the Konoha Alliance, as battlefield fodder.

Minato glanced at Kakashi over his shoulder as he strode through the tunnel leading out, and he knew by the look on Kakashi's face, that the younger man's thoughts were becoming mired in the past.

Once outside the cave, he turned and told the copy-nin, "You don't even have to put it into words old friend. I know exactly how you feel. I swear to you that I will allow no enemy to take this away from us without a fight."

Kakashi merely smiled enigmatically behind his mask, "If such a situation should ever arise, you should realize that I would stand next to you without question."

"Of course. That is what makes us shinobi of the Leaf," the Hokage responded before taking off into the trees, a matching grin on his face.

The copy-nin shook his head, and rocketed after Minato in a burst of blinding speed, to insure that his Hokage returned to Konohagakure where he... no, _they_ belonged.

**-o-**

**A/N: Obito's Quote, **"Those that break the rules are scum. But those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum." Belongs solely to Kishimoto.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: **I have a song for the next part of Harken's Bell. And I've noticed that some of you believe that this story is going to be over soon. We've got some time yet before that. Up to the end of Chapter 24, was the first half. That does not necessarily mean that I have 24 more chapters planned, I have no idea, how the content is going to grow and into what length, though I do know the major plot points, of course. Which is always how I write it. Scary thought huh? For those who are curious about the song, I have a link for it in my author's profile as always.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

**Hope is like a road in the country; **

**there was never a road, **

**but when many people walk on it, **

**the road comes into existence. **

**~Lin Yutang**

**Chapter 25**

Sakura had always been one to have an innate pride of the natural beauty of where she lived. The great cliffs that overlooked the village, the healthy trees that stood like aged sentinels just outside the city gates, and the meadows often filled with seasonal wildflowers, lending their sweet scent to the breeze.

However, the landscape before her was beyond the idyllic beauty she'd always revered.

Majestic purple, white-capped mountains taller than any she'd ever seen, surrounded the verdant valley below nearly on all sides. From her vantage point, she could see a majestic waterfall to the northeast of her, gushing down from a sheer cliff side that reminded slightly of home, into a massive pristine crisp waters as blue as the sky above. The water funneled into a river, that truly was almost the exact hue of the male's hair in front of her, cut right through the center of the village below surrounded by a viridian colored tree line.

The myriad of hues, was such a rich palette of shades, it filled Sakura's mind with the image of precious, freshly polished gems piled high.

Her lips parted slightly, the word breathed in an almost melodic sigh, "_Beautiful_…"

The homes that made up the village were painted in the same lush hues and earthy tones of the land around them. It caused Sakura to recall of how Ixion looked before it had become Konohagakure. Oddly enough, she thought of the wind chime that still hung on the porch of the house. One of the few homes that hadn't changed with the times. A feeling of nostalgia tingled through her. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

As locked memories of the past trickled in Sakura's mind, the trio continued to travel down the seemingly ever-winding path. It seemed to lead down into the valley basin, she mused idly.

The shrine warrior in front of her spoke in an accented voice as he walked, "With Lady Harken's present condition, I shall take you to the location where her true form slumbers. When we get there, she should be able to return her soul to her original body on her own. It seems that she has put herself in stasis so that she would have the strength to do so."

His words made her recall when Hana had told Kyuubi that was borrowing one of Nekomata's bodies. She remembered when Hana went unconscious on the hospital bed. Sakura realized that Hana, must have did it then before she got too weak to do so. She had put her trust in Sakura, believing that the shaman could get her where she needed to be. Hana had truly put her life in Sakura's hands. The thought made her something deep insider her heart ache.

"I understand." Sakura responded firmly, doing her best not to stumble, or slow down and keep up with his swift, set pace. It was a struggle that was all too noticeable to Itachi.

Itachi spoke up, directing the query to the male in front, "Is it possible for you to move at a quicker pace?"

The warrior glanced over his shoulder, irritated by the query. Until he noticed the true state of the woman fighting to stay on her feet. The concern on her face for the bundle in her arms went beyond that of the respectful reverence for a Guardian that their kind had for the powerful spirits. The warmth that her vivid green eyes had was alight with love and worry. She hadn't brought Harken here out of any duty. The realization seemed strange to the shrine warrior.

He choked past his pride and met the other man's eyes. He delivered a curt, short nod, wondering absently why he would even ask with the female in such a state. He was almost tempted to take Harken from her and go on ahead, but he had the gut feeling that he'd have a battle on his hands, and as things stood now, he had no time to fight another warrior with abilities unknown to him.

Itachi reached for his wife, ignoring her feeble protests and picked her up as he had before. He responded without inflection, "Good. Go then, I will follow."

The warrior frowned, at the stranger's matter of fact arrogance. He could tell however, that he meant it. Fine, if that's how the outsider wanted it, then he would give it to him. He had better keep up.

Itachi knew that he had pricked the other male's pride, but that was fine with him. As long as they achieved what Sakura set out to do. Then that's all that mattered. The warrior blurred as he zipped away.

Onyx melted into sharingan, and Itachi trailed behind him easily, which only served to irritate the warrior.

Sakura could see the smirk playing about her husband's lips and had to roll her eyes at the males' antics. She was grateful though, that Itachi was making certain in his own way that they arrived in time to save Hana's life.

She watched the trees go by, and the colorful array of wild flowers flit past out of the corner of her vision. The wind spirits whispered against the lobes of her ears, and played in her tresses as they traveled through the woods. She noticed they were heading down hill for sometime, before the ground beneath Itachi's feet became level. Sakura knew that they had already traveled further than she'd probably been able to handle in her state.

Finally they came to a clearing, that was flanked by four tall trees, standing in the positions of north, south, east, and west. In front where the birch stood in the north spot, was a white marble statue of a woman with an unearthly beauty not seen in any mortal woman.

The Shrine Warrior finally came to a quick stop and Sakura took that moment to study the statue. The artist had carved elegant robes, quite similar to the ancient ceremonial garments Sakura had worn for the meeting with the Council when they had announced their plans to ally themselves with Konoha Alliance. The shaman felt a small twinge of wistfulness at the sight. It was a strange feeling that swelled inside the confines of her ribcage. Here she was, in the land of her people. A place that perhaps could provide answers to every question she ever had about her heritage. It was almost like a fleeting fantasy her fingers long to grasp, but could never touch. Fragments of near forgotten dreams that had always followed in the wake of the sealing ceremonies, danced in her mind's eye.

It was then, Sakura noticed that at the base of the statue, the shape of a bell was carved into the granite platform, and below the image there was something written.

"Harken's body is sealed here. We must hurry, the life in that body is nearly gone," the blue-haired warrior turned to face them.

Itachi set Sakura down before she even thought to ask. On trembling legs, she stumbled forward, and fell on her knees in front of the statue.

She glanced up at the male looking at her with a guarded expression. Sakura smiled weakly, "We made it here. Now what? I thought you said she …" she cut off when the precious bundle laying against her belly began to radiate a silvery, warm glow.

Sakura instinctively moved to untie the knot behind her neck, and then bent slightly, laying the torn sheet holding the feline in front of the statue.

The light emanating from the cat's seemingly broken and battered body began to shine so brightly that Sakura was forced to clench her eyes shut and bury the upper half of her face beneath the inner crook of her elbow.

The wave of sheer power that washed passed over her caused the hair on her neck and arms stand on end. However unlike the feeling of heaviness that came in the wake of the Bijuu was nothing like the sensation she felt now.

Bathed in the essence of Harken's unleashed spirit, Sakura felt a measure of authority, but also the soothing warmth of compassion encompass her.

When the glare beyond her meager shield faded, she took the chance and slowly opened her eyes.

Malachite orbs widened, as awe overtook her. The beautiful marble statue was gone, but in place of it, stood the Guardian Harken. Eyes, the hue of a yellow so light, it almost appeared white at first glance stared right back at her. The vibrant orbs stood out dramatically against the backdrop of umber skin. The roots of her hair was just as dark brown as her skin with a set of bangs curving down each cheek respectively. The sepia tint of Harken's hair seamlessly flowed into varying shades of green, the hue starting at viridian shade trailing into burnished emerald and almost fading into the color of sea foam green at the tips.

The ceremonial robes that had seemed so intricately carved were a similar shade to Harken's skin, but unlike Sakura's heavy looking garments, hers seemed to flow and ripple like the eddies in a stream, lending the Guardian an inhuman grace that fit her heritage.

Not one for formalities, Sakura leapt to her feet, ignoring the pain shooting up her knees. Wincing, she stumbled forward into the Guardian's outstretched arms, and embraced her back, tears pooling in her eyes. She rasped softly, "We made it, Hana. I almost can't believe it."

The shrine warrior gasped at the strange woman's audacity, but he held the protest on his tongue when he seen the responding affection in Harken's face.

Itachi wasn't quite certain what to think of the display in front of him. His wife's body was trembling. The being that he had always known as the mischievous black cat, lifted her gaze to look at him. He could feel the strength of her signature against his senses, and it reminded him of the amazement he experienced when he met the elemental lords. Even this realm itself, was much like the elemental plane, though he was a bit relieved that he couldn't see any chakra spirits floating by.

She sent him a gentle smile, shocking him. Dipping her head, she acknowledged him, "Thank you. It is good, you are coming to understand her."

Taken aback by the display of gratitude, he ducked his chin in response, acknowledging her appreciation.

Sakura grumbled, still tightly tucked against the Guardian, "Why do you always have to say such embarrassing things Hana?"

Harken merely chuckled at Sakura's cheek, and ran a loving hand down the length of the woman's tangled tresses.

"Wait! You understand the words Harken speaks? Both of you." The shrine warrior suddenly exclaimed, his navy eyes wide in pure disbelief. Just who were these people?

Sakura turned to peer at him with wide eyes, she'd almost forgot that he was still standing there.

She nodded at him, but then it struck her that Itachi was also inclining his head in the affirmative. She did a double-take. She bit her lower lip, but then Harken chuckled, the sound of her voice in this body almost melodic, "Sakura, have you already forgotten that you'd given him that ribbon?"

"But-but… I thought I had to be holding it for him to be able to…" She trailed away, at the sight of the amusement dancing in the Guardian's eyes.

"Your bond has strengthened considerably since then, has it not?" Harken arched a brow at Sakura, noting the way the shaman's face turned crimson with embarrassment.

Itachi shifted slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable with the fact that Hana's words were hitting close to home. So, he hadn't imagined Sakura's declaration on the platform. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and even his cheeks were brushed with a hint of a blush. He had chosen coming with his wife, over the Hokage's orders after all. He knew that he was going to catch hell for that decision later, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that - he didn't really care. A shadow of a smirk curved the corner of his lip upward.

He chose that moment to ask, "Is the answer really so simple?"

Harken shook her head, "No. It truly is not. This is the first time, something like this has happened, however - I've long given up pondering the intricacies of the human heart. I merely take it as a sign that time continually changes."

There was something about the response, that made his insides almost feel heavy like lead. There was nothing really out of the ordinary about it, but he could sense the weight of the years in them. Was this what it was like to have the ability to talk to the Guardians? For the first time, he got a slight inkling of what it might be like to have to stand between the Guardians and the rest of the world.

"Who the hell are you people? Only shamans should be able to talk so freely with Guardians? Not even shrine warriors who loyally serve them can speak to them without the aid of a bonded shaman!" The forgotten shrine warrior exclaimed, his face contorting into a mask of irritation.

"Sakura, please thank Gate Keeper Tyoril for me for bringing us here quickly. And please explain to him, who you are. You are as every bit a Nuwan as he is. He really shouldn't treat you as an outsider," Harken's light-hearted expression grew somber, but not impolite as she lifted her gaze to regard the shrine warrior thoughtfully.

Immediately Tyoril fell to his knees, bowing in respect. He stuttered out, "Forgive me for speaking in your presence in such an unsightly manner, Lady Harken… I'm…"

Sakura turned fully to face the man, the wind whipping at the tattered edges of her clothes, and tangled tresses, lending her the air of a refugee.

Itachi watched his wife draw herself up to her full height, the pride that he had detected so many times in the past when he had first dealt with Sakura, was readily apparent now. He didn't miss the longing in her eyes however, leaving him only to imagine what it would be like to be estranged from one's own race of people.

Especially with Sakura's heritage being unique in a world that had long forgotten the Guardian's existence. He himself, hadn't even known of them until recently, and initially - he hadn't believed Sakura's beliefs to be anything beyond a fairytale. He could only imagine that what she must have experienced, having been segregated from other people, so that she could continue to protect the secrets of her heritage. It was a very sad, and lonely feeling. The desolation she must have felt at times, must have been nearly suffocating.

Sakura finally gave the shrine warrior the message, the gentle note in her voice belying the pained expression on her face, "Lady Harken says, that she would like to thank you for bringing us here quickly."

Tyoril looked up, navy eyes growing large at the stranger's slow approach.

She continued softly, "Like you, I am Nuwan. I am also a shaman. That is why I can understand her."

Tyoril's adam's apple bobbed at the woman's explanation. Navy clashed with green. He frowned, his expression harsh, "So how is it that …" He gestured towards Itachi with a shaking finger, "that _man _can, while I cannot?" He couldn't help the touch of jealousy that colored his voice. It was unheard of that anyone but a shaman could understand the ancient tongues of the Guardians.

Sakura felt her face burn, even as she responded with a wry tilt to her lips, "That's because _that man _holds a piece of my heart."

When she did send surreptitious glance in Itachi's direction, the raw intensity of his obsidian orbs on her face, made her toes curl into the dirt.

Itachi voiced his thoughts out loud, "I could understand why I was not be able to understand you - while you were a cat." His eyes narrowed, and he shook his head, "Why wouldn't he be able to understand you now? It's not like you don't understand the language of humans, that you couldn't speak to him, unless you just don't want to." The shinobi found the entire concept very confusing.

The corner of Harken's eyes crinkled in amusement. She moved around Sakura and came to stand in front of Itachi, she reached out with a delicate hand and pointed a slender finger in the direction of his chest, "That is because you can hear my voice here, and not…" she then, airily lifted the appendage to indicate his ear, "here."

If it were possible, the Guardian's explanation left him even more confused than before. Itachi shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around what she had just said. It was then that Itachi realized that though she was smiling, while she had spoke to him, her lips weren't actually moving. His hand went to his chest, his fingers splaying in reaction to what she had just said.

Tyoril glanced at them, he interjected, somewhat irritated by the fact that they were having what looked to be an intimate conversation with the Guardian without him, "Come, my Lady." When he turned to look at Sakura and Itachi, his gaze lost all warmth, "Outsiders. The elders are sure to be aware of your presence by now. It is time, we go to the village."

Harken turned towards the agitated shrine warrior and dipped her head in acknowledgement.

Sakura watched as everyone began to walk towards the village, and she glanced back at the bundle still on the ground, with the lifeless body that had once encased the Guardian. The shaman continued to stare at the feline. The shrine warrior noticed the strange young woman's hesitation. He cleared his throat, while glancing back over his shoulder, noticing the forlorn expression on the woman's face while she stared at the corpse on the ground, "The elders will send someone by to clean up later. We need to…" Tyoril stopped mid-sentence when he realized the woman was completely ignoring him.

Everyone paused to look at Sakura.

The rational side of Sakura knew that really, the corpse at her feet had been really supposedly nothing more than a borrowed shell. But, she couldn't bring herself to leave it like that. Something about the idea - just didn't seem right.

She bent down, propping herself up on one knee. Sakura grabbed the edge of the cloth and covered the cat's body, wrapping it gently. She took it up in her arms, cradling the bundle almost like a baby against her chest. And then, without looking up to meet any of the curious eyes upon her, she started to walk towards them.

Harken was somewhat stunned when she felt something in the region in her chest constrict almost painfully. The sensation was a bit strange, and foreign to her. Even now, for all the wrongs she committed in the young shaman's eyes - Sakura still refused to abandon _her_. It was a gesture that Harken didn't feel like she deserved. It was bizarre for the Guardian to realize that while to most shamans she had served the clan because of an oath as a spiritual guide and nothing more, to Sakura she meant more than that. Much more.

Sakura truly _loved_ her.

And Harken realized that she returned the mortal girl's love, in the way she imagined a mother would a daughter. The Guardian shook her head. It made sense she rationalized, since she had watched over the child after her parents had died. It was just so strange, and so very _human _of her. That too made sense, she had spent much time with them. Looking back it had felt like forever since the end of the war, and yet now - it all seemed so fleeting.

It was truly ironic. Here, she had lived since the existence of the first heart, and yet in all time, Sakura was the one to give her unconditional love and show her what it really was.

In this feeling, she began to understand the betrayal the Bijuu must have felt, when the Guardians abandoned them in the name of balance. It was a humbling feeling.

When Sakura stumbled, Harken was by her side, holding her up before Itachi even had the time to react. She wrapped an arm around the trembling woman, and it was then that she noticed that Sakura was crying.

"It's alright, you know? I am still here. I did not die," Harken murmured trying to encourage Sakura.

Rubbing almost viciously at her eyes, Sakura chuckled hoarsely changing the subject, "So this is where you would always disappear to huh?"

"Yes. I had duties to fulfill here, as well as my oath to your clan," she revealed softly. She added her voice almost a whisper, "That is how the Gate Keeper recognized me. He had seen me pass through many times."

"What was it like being in a cat's body?"

"It taught me to have a sense of humor," Harken's mouth quirked up at the corners.

"I feel kind of ashamed of the fact that I… was feeding a Guardian tuna and cat food all these years," Sakura admitted wryly, a dry chuckle leaving her throat.

Ahead of them, Tyoril's lips thinned with displeasure when he heard that interesting little announcement. It was all he could do, not to turn around and berate the foolish shaman for such unacceptable behavior.

Amusement gleamed in the depths Harken's light yellow eyes, "Like I said before - I obtained a sense of humor, and oddly enough, a strange love for canned tuna."

Itachi who was also listening to the bizarre conversation ahead of him, suddenly realized that he too, had fed the Guardian cat food on occasion. He shook his head, at how ridiculous it all seemed.

The first thing he noticed about the village as they neared, was that there were no walls surrounding any part, there wasn't even any set up around the homes for privacy. It was strange to him at first, but then he rationalized that, in such a place as this there was probably no need for one.

Already he could see people lining the streets, peering at them with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

Before they reached the village, Sakura had one more question to ask before she lost the chance, "Hana, I know you're a Guardian, but which one are you?"

Harken teased her, "What? You haven't figured it out on your own yet?"

Sakura shot her a displeased frown, "No… How could I? You've never told me anything."

The Guardian turned her gaze towards the villagers, the teasing light fading from her visage becoming somber. She answered the shaman in a quiet voice just as they were about to be intersected by the awaiting villagers, "Hope."

**-o-**

"We haven't been able to detect the target's presence anywhere within the village. It seems that she is - gone," Mizuki reported nervously while kneeling before the Kyuubi. He kept his head bowed, hoping that somehow he wouldn't catch trouble for the fact he couldn't find that trouble-making female. As it was, it had been hell getting into Konoha undetected. There had been ANBU patrols, and jounin squads all over the place.

Before the Kyuubi had time to respond Shukaku laughed at nin's statement. He had voiced his thoughts on taking the girl in the first place, when they had her right in the palm of their hands. He ignored the irritated glare from the kitsune and pulled the cigarette from his lips to release the smoke slowly, savoring the calming sensation. He voiced his opinion already knowing that the damn fox wasn't going to want to hear it, "I thought you said we didn't need Kitten anymore."

"It seems that the Nuwan had more safeguards in place than I realized. We need her to undo the seal," Kyuubi sneered back at Shukaku, a fang peeking beneath the furl of his lip. The fox added with a knowing smirk, he knew the raccoon all too well, "Besides, you just wanted to bring her to make a pet out of her."

"She is certainly a rather… interesting creature," Shukaku didn't bother to agree or disagree with the statement. He shook his head when another thought struck, and then tucked the cigarette into his lips. He muttered around it, "The others are still readjusting. You know that not all of them will agree with you on this one."

Kyuubi glanced at the shinobi that was still kneeling before him subserviently. He lifted a clawed hand and waved him away, "I need some time to think over this news you've brought me. I'll issue new orders later."

Mizuki bowed once more, and left the two Bijuu staring thoughtfully at one another.

"Do you think it's wise to act so soon?" Shukaku took one last final drag, and then removed the cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray. Hell, they had just released the others, barely two nights past. Why didn't they just bring the girl then anyway?

Kyuubi averted his crimson orbs, to stare out of the window from his position on the beige sofa, "There will be some of us who will disagree with our plans, but -" his lips turn up into a feral grin when he returned his gaze to Shukaku, "I think after their time in sealed containment, it is likely that none will have the desire to act against us like they chose to in the war…"

The tanuki was inclined to agree, "It's obvious that Houkou, Nekomato, and Sokou weren't expecting that they'd be sealed for so long, nor that you and I would manage to escape that pathetic trap they helped the Guardians lay for us."

The kitsune ran clawed fingertips through his tresses, and then shook his head, "If they interfere again, I'll kill them and be done with it. They are fortunate that I'm feeling lenient after they betrayed us."

"It's ironic that in the end, they were punished by the same method they had planned for us," Shukaku smirked and then barked a coarse laugh at the memory. He knew it was only for that reason, that those particular Bijuu were still breathing.

"Either way, we will be stalled in our plans until we find the little Nuwan," Kyuubi stroked his chin thoughtfully, leaning back against the lush dark green pillows, quickly losing himself in his thoughts of the future.

Shukaku nodded still smirking. He reached for the small box of cigarettes, and pulled another one out and lit it. Tucking it in his lips, he breathed the smoke deeply into his lungs, his nostrils quivering in delight at the pungent scent filling the air around him. Unlike Kyuubi, he really didn't care how Kyuubi's plans played out. It didn't matter to him in the slightest which scenario took place, the whole thing reeked of blood and destruction. His smirk shifted into a feral grin. And that was just how he liked it.

**-o-**

**A/N: **I picked very specific colors for Harken's design as the Guardian of Hope. I think the idea really is all down to each person and really I have to give credit to my husband who is an artist in his own right. He really helped me with her character design so, in the end, I give all credit to him.

**Green and Brown **- Birth and rebirth. Of the earth.

**Yellow** - Balance.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: **Another great fanart has been created for Harken's Bell by Hypermanic. If you want to check it out, the link is in my profile. Scroll all the way to the bottom. =)

**Thanks to the Beta: **_Pyrodarkangel_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto

**Chapter 26**

A slightly stooped and balding elder started towards the group first, his grip growing white knuckled on his staff as he approached them. Sakura took that moment to look over the villagers staring back at them and the first thing she thought was, colorful.

Sakura's pink tresses had always been something of an annoyance to her. It stood out against the masses, and singled her out, feeding the rumors of her being different from everyone else. Of course with the exception of people like Kakashi, but even that silvery mass of hair, seemed far more normal than her unusual pastel mane.

Here, she would have fit right in. Everyone had varying shades of skin, from the palest of milky hues to the umber tone of Harken standing right beside her. Their hair color, like Sakura wasn't the atypical shade of brunette, ebony, or blond. Although there were a few of those interspersed in as well. However the majority of the people she noticed had many varying hues of purples, reds, blues, greens, and orange.

"I never thought I would live to see you return to your true body my lady," the elderly man bowed towards Harken on trembling limbs. When he lifted his wrinkled visage, Sakura could see that his gray eyes were brimming with moisture.

"I had no choice but to return Mirdan," Harken gestured towards the wrapped bundle in Sakura's arms tellingly, "But that is neither here nor there. This woman is the last surviving Nuwan from the other side."

Sakura heard several gasps come from the crowd at this announcement.

"What clan do you hail from? What is your name child?" Mirdan asked Sakura in a wheezy, but kind voice.

"I am Sakura of the Haruno clan," she replied, feeling a bit nervous when everyone turned to look at her.

"And who is this young man?" The small bit of warmth in the old man's tone disappeared and his gray orbs hardened when he turned to face Itachi.

Harken answered for Itachi with a stern look directed at the village elder, "He is Sakura's husband Mirdan, and if not for him, I don't know if I would have arrived to my sealed body safely. Do not treat him unkindly."

"What is your name boy?" Mirdan's cold expression softened slightly after Harken's explanation.

Itachi however had his blank, apathetic mask in place. His adam's apple bobbed slightly, it was the only expression of emotion that he allowed to slip.

Sakura caught that and she was relieved that she wasn't the only one who was nervous.

He replied coolly, "Itachi." He didn't bother to give the old man his clan name.

Mirdan nodded and then turned his attention back to Sakura, "Our village welcomes you with open arms, daughter of the lost clans." Gray eyes traveled down the length of her trembling limbs, noticing the wounds on her feet and ankles, "It seems that you are in need of medical attention."

Sakura shook her head, "I'm okay. I think I just need to rest."

Itachi stepped next to Sakura, and put his arm around her shoulder to let her lean against him.

She looked up into his face and smiled, the lines of exhaustion showing through.

The old man made a couple gestures with his left hand, and a young man with hunter green hair and eyes came forward. He also wore a cloak, but unlike Tyoril's his was dark brown, and the metal clasp that cinched the material together was a silver wolf instead of a falcon. Perhaps that just like her clan, each family had their own crest she thought to herself privately.

The shrine warrior stopped in front of the elder and knelt before him with his head bowed.

Mirdan ordered him, "Haldir, see to it that Lady Haruno, and her husband are properly attended to. Escort them to Lady Floriel's home. It seems that Lady Haruno is in need of a healer."

Haldir rose swiftly and placed a curled fist against his chest before executing a polite bow to the elder. He pivoted sharply on his heel, and strode turned towards the curious couple.

Gray eyes came to rest on the gathered villagers. He announced loudly, "They are to be allowed to rest peacefully. I will not have anyone crowding around Lady Floriel's cottage."

Then, a thin smile stretched his thin lips when he averted his gaze towards the Gate Keeper, "It seems that your clan's duty has been completed. As she is the last according to Lady Harken, there is no need to guard the gate to the otherworld. Would you instead take the cat's body from Lady Haruno? We will have a proper ceremony after Lady Haruno has seen the healer."

Tyoril's lips quirked into a small, almost sad smile, "I understand. Of course…" The Gate Keeper turned to the young woman, strode over to her quickly and with surprising gentleness took the bundle from her arms.

The moment Tyoril pulled away, it was like a weight had been lifted off of the young woman. She sent him a grateful smile. It was then that Sakura's body could handle no more. She sagged weakly against Itachi and shut her eyes. She was so tired. Her legs ached and her head hurt.

Wordlessly Itachi lifted her into his arms once again, and was slightly surprised when she didn't protest. He met the eyes of the one they called Haldir. The shrine warrior gestured for Itachi to follow him and around them, the sea of villagers parted to allow the outsiders by.

He glanced over his shoulder when Harken didn't follow; instead she stayed behind to speak with the elder.

Itachi was a bit relieved that the villagers had decided to obey the village elder, and hadn't followed them to their destination. It was a bit unnerving having so many strangers staring at him with such open, avid curiosity.

Haldir stepped up onto a white-washed porch, and briskly knocked on the door of the small yellow, cottage-like house.

Itachi glanced down at Sakura, and he realized that she had already fallen asleep.

When no one seemed to respond, Haldir knocked again, but this time he called out, "Lady Floriel, a patient for you."

Itachi's eyes narrowed when the door suddenly swung open and an elderly woman with a sharp gaze and pale lavender hair, pulled back in a tight bun, stepped through the door. Her hand quickly shot out and her fingers latched onto Haldir's earlobe, pulling him down to face level without even batting an eyelash, "What are you yapping about out here this early in the day? You know I have my morning…"

Her voice trailed away, when she finally glanced past him to the couple standing behind him. She released the shrine warrior, and stepped around him to get a closer look. She looked up at Itachi's shuttered face and then returned her gaze back to Haldir, "So this is what that entire ruckus was about eh?"

"The elder asked me to bring them to you. The young woman is in need of…"

"I can see that!" The old woman snapped, and then crooked a finger at the pair, "You. Go inside, and lay her down on the bed in the back of the room. And Haldir make certain to keep people away from my house. If they need a healer send them to Losiane's. I can do without more interruptions."

"Yes, Lady Floriel," Haldir didn't bother to tell her that the village elder had already ordered everyone to stay away until he deemed otherwise.

Itachi nodded his head politely at the young shrine warrior, somewhat impressed that the man hadn't lost his cool with the elderly woman. The Uchiha caught the minute shift in Haldir's stoic expression and the green-haired male returned the gesture.

The Uchiha quickly moved to the bed and deposited his wife gently on the surface of the soft gray covers. He turned to leave, but the elderly woman told him, "You can sit in the chair by the fire if you wish. Just stay out of my way."

The corners of Itachi's mouth twitched when amusement wanted to surface. There was something about this old woman that reminded him of Utatane-sama. She had a no nonsense way about her that was just like the council woman. Quickly Itachi moved aside, and unbuckling the strap around his chest, he unbuckled the leather straps that held the sheath to his ANBU issued wakizashi sword and pulled the equipment off. He quickly leaned it against the chair on the opposite side, well away from the reach of the old woman. He finally sat down in the soft brown seat and rested a hand on top of the hilt.

He listened almost absently to the woman bustling about the room. His nostrils flared when she started to grind down herbs in a gray stone pestle and mortar. For a while he stared into the flickering orange flames. Oddly enough he found the crackling sound somehow soothing. Itachi glanced every so often in Sakura's direction, but eventually he shut his eyes and nestled deeply into the comfortable chair. It didn't take long for Itachi to realize that he was actually more exhausted than he thought.

At first he fought against the tide of sleepiness he felt, but it was a short battle, and Itachi's body sagged slightly in the chair as he fell asleep.

Floriel glanced over at the male, a small smirk forming when she noticed that he had fallen asleep. He had hid it well, but she had known from nearly the start that he was practically dead on his feet with exhaustion. She quickly went back to work on the mysterious, roseate-haired woman.

**-o-**

Sakura lurked in and out of consciousness. And just as her mind ebbed, so did her emotions. She knew that her body was exhausted but slumber was a luxury she didn't truly believe that she could quite afford. Here, she was in this place where there were others like her, and all she was able to accomplish was sleep. There was a part of her that instinctively knew that her stay in this land would be fleeting. Even if she was one of them, she wasn't really quite one of them either.

What did it really matter if she belonged or if she didn't? She thought. She was only Sakura after all. Just another person, a mere speck on the canvas in the grand scheme of this twisted nether of life. There was only one certainty that Sakura knew and that was simply, she loved _him_.

Even now, she sensed that Itachi was nearby. His presence soothed her like nothing else could. Just like his scent, it was like warm rain on a cool spring day. Comforting. He had chosen to come with her! Her heart leaped, and her soul happily embraced the joy of knowing that she knew that she wasn't alone anymore. She continued to drift along in this feeling of warmth in her semi-conscious state. She knew that soon, she'd have to face reality and possibly truths that she may not be ready to meet head on. But it wouldn't be bad, because _they_ had each other.

When she finally allowed herself to wake completely, she slowly sat up in the bed, her fingers curling reflexively into the gray blankets.

Turning her head to the side, Sakura slowly scanned her surroundings curiously. Her gaze stopped momentarily on Itachi who seemed to be fast asleep in the chair in front of the fire. Sakura's expression melted into one of warmth and open affection.

Her heart skipped a beat, when Itachi turned his face in her direction. His face was ensconced by the dancing flames in the hearth. She sent him a small smile, and surprisingly he returned the gesture.

He cleared his throat, "You're finally awake."

She ran a hand through tangled tresses, "Have I been out long?"

"I'm really not all that certain actually - I fell asleep soon after the healer started to work on your wounds," he admitted lightly. Itachi asked softly, "How do you feel?"

"Much better," she sighed, and then turned her gaze downwards. Sakura swallowed hard around the lump growing in her throat, "Itachi I want to…" Her voice trailed away when he stood up and started to walk towards her, his dark eyes intense.

He stopped in front of the bed and peered down into her face. His palm cupped her cheek. He probed in that quiet tenor of his, "You want to?"

All coherent thought left her mind and she shut her eyes. She reached up and grasped his wrist with fingers that were slightly trembling, and she relaxed against the warmth of his touch.

The couple stayed like this for a bit and Sakura finally gathered enough courage to speak her mind. Opening her eyes, she met his gaze head on, "I want to -"

She was interrupted when the front door to the small cottage suddenly opened, and an elderly woman with lavender hair swept into a bun came bustling through. The woman's silver eyes fell on the couple and her mouth quirked at the edges. She came straight over to the bed, and brushed Itachi aside. The nin smoothly sidestepped the healer and moved out of her way without protest.

The old woman gripped Sakura's chin with deft bony fingers, and peered down into her face. She grunted here and there, as she continued the very unusual examination. She finally pulled up the covers around Sakura's feet and that was when the young shaman realized that her feet were wrapped in cloth. She winced when the healer pinched at her ankles and lower legs.

Finally the woman straightened and told her with a sour look, "It seems you've put your body through quite a bit of strain. Your chakra reserves are unnaturally low, and even now - it seems that recovery for that is going to be slower than usual. The flesh wounds however, are slight even if they still feel a bit painful and should heal up in no time. I've already treated the bruising and scrapes with medication. You'll just have to try and take it easy for a day or two."

"Thank you err…?" Sakura left the sentence hanging, hoping that the healer would give her name.

"I'm Lady Floriel, one of the healers in this village. And you are?"

Sakura nodded politely, "I appreciate your kindness. I'm Sakura."

Floriel dipped her head once and then added, "Old Mirdan had some supper brought by for both of you yesterday evening. It's over on the table," she pointed to a large ceramic bowl with a pink and white floral print around the rim that sat next to smaller-sized serving bowls and plates with utensils and a large serving spoon, "I have a few more things to get done this morning, but I should be back soon enough."

Sakura thanked her again before she bustled back out of the house with a sort of purpose-filled resolve on her wrinkled visage. As soon as the old woman was gone, she giggled under her breath and shook her head. She smirked at Itachi who was also doing his best to conceal an amused smile, "Is it just me? Or is she a lot like Aunt Koharu?"

"Aa. She carries that same air of authority," Itachi replied, his stoic mask finally giving way to the amusement wanting to surface. He wondered idly what Sakura would have thought if she'd witnessed the old woman pulling a shrine warrior down by his earlobe.

Sakura shook her head still smiling, and then with a grimace she brought her legs over the side of the bed. Her stomach was already grumbling after the mention of ready made food. She couldn't remember the last time she'd probably eaten. She hadn't stayed in the hospital long enough to be served breakfast.

Itachi quickly cut across the space between them and laid a hand on her shoulder, "I'll get it. You probably shouldn't be moving around so soon."

A small blush suffused her face, feeling a bit embarrassed that Itachi was actually catering to her but after a moment she nodded in agreement when she realized that her legs were quivering a bit with the small effort, "You're right. I probably wouldn't make it to the table." Which was a bit pathetic since the table was located only half a dozen or so steps away.

She watched as he lifted the cover off of the bowl and eyed the contents almost suspiciously. Sakura chuckled at the sight, "I don't think they would have poisoned it Itachi."

He glanced back at her, the corner of his eyes crinkling with amusement. The corner of his lip tilted upward slightly, "Habit."

He ladled the contents into the wooden serving bowls, and handed her one with a spoon.

She peered at the contents thoughtfully. It looked like some sort of vegetable stew, she surmised. She recognized the chunky bits of carrots and potatoes right away. Finally, she gave in to her hunger after realizing that the food looked relatively normal and took a small bite.

Even though it was room temperature, it was delicious and it wasn't long until she was on her second serving.

Itachi poured her a glass of water from the pitcher on the table, and Sakura quickly downed the contents. He took her bowl and quickly found the sink, rinsing their utensils and bowls before returning to the table. He set the cover back over the leftovers and went to sit on the bed next to his wife.

Sakura patted her stomach and sighed contentedly, "I actually feel almost human again." That was, until she had to find a restroom, she thought privately. She would worry about that when it arose. As it was, she wanted to bathe, and wash the sweat and dirt out of her hair. She knew she probably looked like a lost waif with her ripped pants, and tunic she'd taken from the hospital. The thought of running a comb through her tangled tresses was bad enough in itself.

"What were you about to tell me earlier before you were interrupted?" Itachi suddenly asked.

Sakura pivoted slightly so that she was angled towards him, and she wouldn't have to turn her head to look up at him. She rested her palm gently on his knee, noticing the way his gaze shot down to her hand and then slowly trailed back up to her face. She could see the anticipation in his eyes, even though his face as usual didn't give anything away.

Finally after gathering the remnants of her courage again, "I didn't really expect that you would actually choose to come here with me." She paused when he laid a hand over the one on his knee. When he remained silent, she knew he wanted her to finish what she had to say.

Sakura forced her gaze to stay locked with his dark eyes. She continued in a soft voice, "I'm sorry that I didn't trust you enough to…" she faltered and then shook her head, "No, I suppose I should start at the beginning."

He was startled by the emotion starting to brim in her emerald eyes. The sheen of tears he could see had caught him off guard. Itachi suddenly wasn't sure if he was ready for what she was about to say. He shifted, but still he decided that remaining silent would be the best course of action.

Sakura noticed the way his shoulders tensed, and she smiled through the tears that wanted so badly to be released, "Remember the day of the festival when the Bijuu decided to …err… visit me?"

Shadows danced across Itachi's shuttered face, cracking the surface slightly. He nodded slowly, still not knowing where she was heading with this conversation, "Aa."

"Well, if you remember correctly, we met in the street just before we were interrupted."

He dipped his head again, though this time the gesture was slight.

She knew that she was making him a bit edgy with her emotions running so high, and she was doing nothing to conceal them from him. She smiled at him then, and the tears finally slipped free and trekked down the curve of her cheek, "Well, your brother and I struck up a conversation just before I went to find you. He told me some interesting things - about my behavior and even some things I didn't know about you."

Itachi's stoic visage finally slipped and his eyebrows winged down sharply. When he opened his mouth to speak, Sakura placed a finger over his lips and shook her head. This action caused him to arch a brow at her in askance.

She gave him a sad smile that did little to cover the heart wrenching look in her eyes, "Really, the problem was simply that, I didn't want to tell anybody the truth about what had happened to me when I was kidnapped. The thing is, Shukaku admitted to me that he was there when…" her voice cracked but she still plunged on, wanting him to know everything, "my parents were killed. He told me things that conflicted with everything I'd ever believed. I felt like if I said those things out loud that it would be like I was admitting that it was the truth. I warred with my emotions for days wanting to pretend that I'd never heard them. I'm sure you recall the rain in the interrogator's office. I … I felt like I was drowning in my emotions. That I was alone. That I would always be alone. I didn't even want to tell Hana the truth."

"So what does that have to do with the conversation Sasuke had with you?" Itachi had known that Sakura had been holding back from everyone. Not even Ibiki had gotten her to crack enough to tell him the truth, which was a feat in itself.

Something about the way she was admitting all of this to him made something in his chest ache. Suddenly knowing that she had looked for him the day of the festival specifically because she had finally decided to place enough trust in him to tell him the truth, filled him with an almost painful emotion that was making it hard for him to breathe.

He finally understood why her eyes had looked so forlorn when he had discovered her whereabouts in the cave. Itachi almost couldn't believe that she had decided to hold out her hand to him, to take a chance in trusting him, despite the way he had sided with the Hokage's orders so quickly and had opted to force her obedience without even asking her why she had chose to run away.

"Your brother convinced me that I was being an idiot," she removed her hand from his knee, and he made no move to stop her when she grasped the front of his black tunic almost desperately, "I was looking for you because I wanted to tell you everything but…" Sakura averted her eyes.

"The Bijuu showed up."

Her head hung, giving away the fact that she was ashamed. She slowly nodded and then whispered hoarsely, "Y-yes. I was too late… I'm so sorry. I was too afraid to ask for your help especially after being locked up in the hospital. I couldn't believe that you chose to come with me despite the fact I never told you the truth. I honestly, don't know how far I would have made it without your help. Thank you."

Green eyes widened substantially when Itachi wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against his chest. She felt a brush of warm lips against her forehead. His usually smooth tenor was hoarse when he responded, "I don't feel that I've earned such heartfelt gratitude. When you needed my help the most, I sided with the Hokage's orders in all instances, without even taking into consideration why you were choosing to do what you were doing."

Sakura shook her head, her damp cheeks wetting his black shirt. Ironically enough, she didn't care that tears were still managing to seep from her eyes, "You don't have to apologize for that. I mean, you're a shinobi Itachi. Following orders is sort of what you do."

If possible his hold on her tightened, and Sakura gasped when she couldn't breathe. He immediately relaxed his grip on her, and he placed his hand on the crown of her head, his callused fingers gently rubbing down the strands of her hair soothingly, "That is certainly one of the aspects of being an ANBU Captain, but I've never wanted to become a mindless drone. Honestly Sakura, at the time I couldn't understand your motivation for anything and your behavior seemed incredibly reckless. I realized quickly that you were trying to stand between all of Konoha and the Bijuu by yourself. I have never felt as helpless as I did that day…" even though she couldn't see the emotion that was likely contorting his face, she was beginning to suspect he didn't want her to, and was therefore holding her tightly against him.

She was shocked that he was being so open with her.

"I didn't want them to kill anyone, even if it meant that…" Sakura's eyes grew large when she was suddenly released and his hands gripped her upper arms in a nearly bruising grip. She was grateful that he was being mindful of her injured state.

When she looked up into his eyes, the very breath in her lungs stopped and held. His bangs had come loose, curved down the side of his face. The obsidian in his eyes had melted away, leaving behind rubicund. She couldn't help it; she gawked at the open torrential emotion in his eyes.

She flinched beneath the terse timbre of his voice, "When you were on the other side of that _wind _barrier, or whatever the hell it was, all by yourself. I couldn't hear what you were talking about, but I could _see everything_. I could hear your screams when they used you to free the other Bijuus. Everyone heard you." The next set of words was said through gritted teeth, "And I couldn't _do anything_."

Sakura suddenly felt uncomfortable beneath the hard scrutiny beneath red eyes that almost seemed to sear right through her down to her very core.

"I'm…"

He interrupted her, while holding her eyes captive with stern crimson orbs, "I believe that even if the Hokage hadn't ordered me to keep you under house arrest, I would have brought you to the compound anyway."

"Itachi," she cupped his cheek with her hand tenderly, "there was nothing anyone could do. They threatened to kill you and Hana if I didn't give them what they wanted. They even said that if I didn't do what they told me to, they would raze the entire village to the ground and make me watch. It was my fault they were even there in the first place. Everyone was helpless against them. You shouldn't feel…"

"I'm a selfish man Sakura I…"

Sakura placed a finger over his lips and shook her head, "It's alright. I'm a selfish woman." She crooked a smile at him and then removing the appendage from his mouth, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, feeling like a child all over again.

His hand swept behind her neck, his fingers cradling the back of her head. This time when he leaned forward, eyes still the hue of fresh blood, she met him halfway. Their mouths fused together, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed against him, only wanting to get closer to his warmth. The fingertips against her scalp curled, and he suckled gently against the seam of her lips in sweet askance.

Sakura opened her mouth beneath the caress, beckoning and inviting. She allowed herself to be swept away on the tide of feeling and emotion when his tongue slipped past her lips. Despite all the emotions raging between them, Itachi didn't plunder her mouth, nor did he make her feel as if he were trying to swallow her whole.

Instead he took his time. It was as if he were touching and tasting her like she was a sweet wine that he wanted to savor. His other hand swept down her side, and came to rest on the cradle of her hip.

Sakura pressed a hand against his chest, and immediately he broke the contact. He pulled away and stared into her face. She had made a decision and she figured since she was on a roll with telling him the truth, she wanted to tell him again.

A happy smile formed on her face, an interesting contrast to her tear-stained face, and kiss-swollen lips. She tilted her head to the side, tasting the words over and over again in her mind until finally she allowed them freedom, "I think I've fallen in love with you."

Itachi seemed a bit stunned by his wife's sudden announcement for several long moments but he quickly recovered his composure. Crimson eyes warmed, "So I wasn't mistaken. You did say that to me just before…"

She nodded and then sighed with a small shrug, "I wanted you to know just in case I wasn't able to make it back. It wasn't a regret I wanted to live with."

Itachi didn't respond in words, but Sakura hadn't expected him to. Instead he reached for her again, and she willingly went into his arms.

They clung together in a tight embrace, and when Itachi released her, he could see that her eyes were beginning to cloud over with signs of fatigue. It was with gentle hands that he laid her back, and pulled the covers up.

She gripped the edge of the blanket and chuckled softly, "If you keep that up, you're going to make me feel like a little kid."

"You might as well rest while you have the chance," Itachi had the feeling that once she was up on her feet, she would once again have a lot to deal with. However, he would be right there with her if she allowed it.

Sakura covered her mouth when a bone popping yawn escaped.

Her eyes shut on their own accord, and Itachi watched over her as she fell asleep once again.

A small smile graced his features, and once he was certain that she was truly resting, he rose to his feet and returned to the chair. He sat down and stared into the smoldering flames, the red hue in his eyes finally receding; becoming obsidian once more.

When Floriel came through the door this time, he was relieved that she hadn't come slamming through like she had before. It was as if she already knew Sakura would be asleep by the time she returned.

The old woman glanced over at him with a thoughtful glint in her silver eyes, "You know you don't have to stay shut up in here all day. I'm sure Haldir wouldn't mind showing you around the village."

He returned his gaze back to the fire. The old woman was blatantly telling him to go outside and take a walk. It was likely that she wanted to administer more medication and wanted privacy while she did it. However, in this land of strangers Itachi wasn't really fond of the thought of leaving Sakura alone with any of them. It was bad enough he'd fallen asleep in this woman's house and left himself vulnerable.

Floriel must have sensed his hesitance because she added in a tight voice, "Lady Harken will be coming by soon to visit Sakura."

Finally Itachi conceded, and stood up. He sent Floriel an analytical look that made her bristle, "Thank you, I think it is probably for the best if I take the chance to stretch my legs."

He reached for his sword and swung the sheath over his shoulder, tightening the leather straps in front of his chest and buckled the clasps.

As he opened the door, he thought he heard a small huff of indignation. Her reaction only made him smirk wider. When he shut the door behind him Haldir approached from the street. Itachi noticed that the other male's lips were quivering with barely disguised mirth. When the shrine warrior spoke he announced coolly, "I see you've been pushed out of the house."

Itachi arched a brow at the other man, "Oh? She said that you volunteered to give me a tour of the village. I decided to take up that offer."

Haldir shook his head still smiling, "I see. Well since the old woman has decided to volunteer my services, shall we get started then?"

"Aa."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: **Here we have an interlude between Sakura and Lady Harken. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for those who still continue to read and haven't given up on this story. I would apologize and give excuses for the slow update, but it is what it is and so I'll spare you and myself the long author's note.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 27**

"How are you feeling now child?" Lady Floriel inquired softly, the back of her hand went to rest gently against Sakura's forehead. The old woman's gentle prodding woke Sakura out of her slumber.

"Much better."

"I didn't mean to wake you. You should still be resting," the healer told her with a slight frown tugging her lips.

"The scent of rainwater is gone," Sakura whispered, while pulling the covers up to her chest.

The lines around the old woman's eyes deepened, and she arched a brow at the odd young woman, "He just went for a walk. He'll be back soon enough child."

There was a firm knock at the door, and Floriel clucked her tongue and muttered something unintelligible under her breath before stepping away from Sakura's bedside to go open the door.

"You are welcome my lady. Please, come inside," Floriel angled her body away from the frame of the door to allow the Guardian to pass through.

Sakura chuckled lightly when Harken had to stoop slightly to fit through the door way.

The healer sent her patient a dark look for her lack of respect but held her tongue since Lady Harken herself laughed right along with Sakura.

Lady Harken smiled good-naturedly, "I'm still getting used to this body, as you can very well see."

Sakura's eyes fell half mast when she thought of Hana. The Guardian's feline form was dead, and the young woman knew instinctively that things would never be the same again.

The Guardian's smile ebbed away, and finally she turned to Lady Floriel, "Forgive me for asking you this, but would you mind giving the two of us some privacy? There are things that I wish to discuss with…"

Floriel lifted a hand halting the Guardian's stream of words, "Say no more. Do as you wish, my lady. When you are finished, you'll be able to find me at Mirdan's."

Harken dipped her head graciously.

When the healer left the house, the Guardian took a chair from the table and sat it next to Sakura's bedside.

Harken frowned when she caught the telltale sign's of a smirk adorning Sakura's face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" The Guardian arched a brow at the shaman.

"If they only knew what you're really like. You're being so polite. That's not like you," Sakura chuckled and shook her head, "I've known you all my life, and even when I couldn't understand you, I caught my fair share of dirty looks."

"Ah well," Harken shrugged her shoulders, a smile of amusement curving her lips, "in that body, I was free to be a be myself. Here, the people have expectations of me because I'm a…"

"Guardian." Sakura finished for her. The mischievous grin that curved the shaman's lips made Harken feel a bit uneasy, "If you showed them your real personality, the elder would probably have a heart attack."

Lady Harken shook her head, the corner of her lips quirking. Suddenly her playful countenance grew solemn. She replied softly, "Honestly, I no longer know which existence is my true self." When she met Sakura's eyes again she shook her head, "You, better than anyone know what it's like to be forced to step into a role. You are not the only one who understands what it's like to be driven to put on a mask for the comfort of those around you."

Melancholy contorted Sakura's features. After turning Harken's somber words over in her mind, she finally nodded. She knew exactly what the Guardian was trying to say to her. She sighed a deep sigh, the sound shook her slender frame. It was as if the very air was being dredged up from the very pit of her soul. Her mouth trembled, "There's so much I want to ask you, but…"

"Ask me anything you wish. It's the least I can do for you."

Sakura immediately asked, "Why?"

A chuckle that contained no mirth left Harken, "Of course you would ask the simplest and yet… the most complicated question all at once."

Sakura looked away, drawing her knees up to her chest. She hugged her legs and rested her chin on top. She sent the Guardian a small smirk, "Well, I found it easier to start at the beginning."

"Did you notice the plaque on the statue that contained my body?"

"The one with the bell?" Sakura frowned, not understanding what that had to do with anything.

"Yes."

"Why are you…?" The shaman bit at her lower lip.

Harken smirked at her, the glimmer of amusement giving Sakura a small glimpse of the Hana she'd always known, "Well you said that it was easier to start at the beginning, so I decided that it would probably be for the best after all." The Guardian averted her gaze, her light yellow eyes peering out the window. She finally began to explain in a voice heavy with memory, "Everything is inevitably tied together, and even though I know all of what was, it still takes some effort to untangle."

Sakura leaned back, and rested her head against the wall. She turned her face towards Harken, even though Harken was still staring outside. No, Sakura mused, the Guardian was looking into the past.

"Engraved on the plaque is the exact quote you read inside the library in the Guardian's Sanctuary, but in the Nuwan language. I knew it was likely that you'd stop to touch the tomes out of curiosity, but it was ironic that you touched the very one out of thousands that contained that particular knowledge. When I heard you say it during one of your meditations, I decided that fate must be laughing at me after all…"

"Courage, is the power to go beyond oneself to protect. Love, sustains the heart it gives one the strength to protect that which is precious. Hope, is the power to believe in the future," Sakura parroted back to Harken, already knowing exactly the one she spoke of. She shrugged, "The second time I met with the Guardians, the Tortoise quoted it to me…"

Harken turned to face Sakura, a thoughtful glint in her eyes, "Perhaps even they are beginning to accept that the times are changing." The Guardian waved her hand in a graceful flourish as if warding off the shadows of the past, "Anyway, back to the matter at hand. As I explained before, I'm the Guardian of Hope."

Sakura bit her lip and nodded, still wondering where Hana was going with this conversation.

"Hope, is the power to believe in the future," Harken laced her fingers together and set the folded appendages in her lap, "I wasn't born with a name, however eventually a shaman decided to adorn me with one and somehow it stuck. Harken simply means, to listen to, or to pay heed. Eventually, the shamans began to wear a bell around their wrists during their ceremonies. It's not really something that holds any real power. The bell was only meant to serve as a reminder to listen to the hope within."

Sakura's hand went to her heart, her fingers folded into her tunic when she grasped what Harken was trying to say.

Harken gave the young woman a smile full of warmth, "Yes. Everything a shaman is, is right there." She reached over and laid her palm over the top of Sakura's hand, "You can hear me, because you're heart is open. My voice is not one that is given the freedom of sound."

"Yet, you lied to me. Not just to me, but to my whole family," the words tumbled past Sakura's lips before she could stop them. Even now, the knowledge tasted bitter.

"I apologize Sakura, I just wanted you to understand who I really am before I tell you the truth of the past. Without one you would not understand the other."

Sakura frowned, but nodded. She was still leery about trusting Hana but she somehow knew that she was telling the truth.

"Long before we realized that the Nuwan could speak with us, they were a race of people who were always set apart from the rest of mankind. The way they carried themselves, their morals beliefs, even down to the difference in their eye and hair color." Harken gently tugged on Sakura's pink hair with a small smile, "And as you are well aware, people fear what they don't understand. The Nuwan quickly came to realize that the other races feared and despised them. It wasn't until they hid themselves away from others that we Guardians began to notice that some of the Nuwan could understand us. Just as the legend says, eventually a bond formed between shaman and Guardian."

"Where do the Bijuu come into all of this?" Sakura asked, still trying to mentally digest all of what Harken was telling her.

"Hold on, I'm not quite there yet," Harken held up a hand to stem the questions she could see surfacing on Sakura's face. She continued, "It was a little while longer yet, before shamans discovered that they could understand the tongues of the elements or what you call chakra spirits. When we finally realized the true potential in the Nuwan, that's when the true union was formed." The Guardian pointed at the spot where the bond marked Sakura, "All in the name of balance."

"Balance?"

"Yes, that which all life is poised upon, and that is the true heart of the war. You see," Harken shook her head, "We Guardians are not infallible beings. We aren't deities as some suppose, in many ways, we are much like you. We are only here to watch over life. We are very much like shepherds in that respect. When I say life, I mean over all living things. Not just the tangible but the intangible as well."

"The elemental lords?" Sakura mused quietly, thinking over the great beings she recently met.

"Yes, they are an integral part of balance. Without them, there would be no true life. Even down to the tiniest elemental chakra spirit, we Guardians are the caretakers of it all. But," a self-deprecating smile stretched the Guardian's lips, "we quickly realized that once something was lost, we could not recreate it again. We can only watch. We are powerful beings, but we are also vulnerable. Our true strength lies in our ability to guide."

A thought struck Sakura. She asked while pressing the tip of her finger against her lower lip, "So you don't know why my ancestors had this ability?"

Harken shook her head, "No. It's always been a mystery to the Guardians as to why the Nuwan had this gift. As I said before, we Guardians are not perfect beings. There were shamans who relieved us of our loneliness. We formed attachments to the Nuwan, but for us… who have been here since the beginning, it seemed as if those we cared for returned to the earth in the blink of an eye. That's when we decided to take it upon ourselves to create the Bijuu."

"Like having your own children?" Sakura could hear the sorrow lacing Harken's voice. Before she realized what she was doing, she reached over and lay a comforting hand over the Guardian's.

"I suppose you could look at it that way. We're beings without flesh. We cannot have children in the way that the creatures that walk the earth are able. The Bijuu carry a part of the Guardians in them; but unlike us, they can freely roam the earth as they please," Hana took Sakura's hand up in hers, "It was the Nuwan who referred to the Bijuu as beings that were of metal flesh. The Nuwan thought of the Bijuu as the swords forged by the Guardians. But in actuality, they are beings of spirit and flesh. And for a time the Nuwan and the Bijuu worked together to protect the balance, and the Bijuu served and protected the Guardians with all that they were alongside the Nuwan race."

"Why did they turn against you?" Sakura pulled her hand away, and settled back against the wall trying to find a comfortable position.

"There was something that changed. You see, amongst the other human clans as time continued to pass, eventually began to show signs of what the shinobi now refer to as bloodline limits. And just as before, the humans that weren't gifted began to fear those who were gifted. Those with the special abilities started to force those without these new gifts, to serve and obey them. Fear and hate was quickly born between them, and soon those without the gift began to kill their oppressors without mercy, even those who had done them no wrong," Harken shook her head, "At first the Nuwan and Bijuu stayed out of the mess. Even though many generations had already passed, the Nuwan had never forgotten being on the receiving end of that hatred."

Sakura's eyes widened in horror at what Harken was telling her. She buried her fingers into tangled tresses almost afraid to know what happened next, "What happened after that?"

"The humans who were born without abilities noticed that even though they continued to slaughter, there were those still being born with bloodline limits - even from parents who were gift-less. They eventually concluded that the Bijuu were at fault for this phenomena. So they hunted down the first Bijuu. The No Tails. He tried to defend himself, but the humans over powered him and then they," Harken looked away, hiding her pained expression from Sakura, "smeared his blood across the fields and forests. They then dumped his corpse in Nuwan territory, leaving the Bijuu in no doubt of what those humans thought of them."

She slowly shut her eyes. Sakura finally said in a small voice, "So this is how the war started…"

"Well, not quite. You see, the ancestors of the shinobi took the No Tail's brutal murder as an opportunity to speak with the Bijuu. They promised to serve the Bijuu if the Bijuu would make them more powerful so they could wreak vengeance," Harken's shoulders started to quiver, "Some of the Bijuu agreed, still enraged by the loss of their brother. They greatly enhanced the abilities of the humans, drawing out their true capabilities, instead of letting those already with powerful bloodline limits evolve on their own. That… was when the true war began."

Sakura buried her face in her hands already knowing without question who some of those Bijuu were, "It was a blood bath, wasn't it?"

"Yes. Just as the humans without the gift had in the past, they began to slaughter indiscriminately, attacking and even destroying entire villages that were completely innocent. Nekomata came to the Guardian's pleading for our assistance on the behalf of her siblings. We were saddened and angered by the Bijuu's actions, but not because of those being slaughtered. Rather it was because their actions was disturbing the balance we'd always kept."

Sakura's eyes widened. She hugged her arms tightly around her middle. The Guardian's chilling words sent goosebumps soaring up her spine.

Harken could see the growing horror on Sakura's face, but still chose to plunge on, "And that's when we asked the Nuwan to get involved in our stead."

"You didn't…" Her hand shot to her mouth. She didn't know very much about her kin, but she knew enough to know that they were not a people who were born for war.

Shame contorted Harken's face, and even though she wished deep inside she could deny it, she couldn't. She cleared her throat, "We did. But it soon became evident that the shaman did not stand a chance against the Bijuu and the gifted humans alone. We decided to use the Nuwan who were born without the ability to speak with us, and just as the Bijuu had done, created our own warriors from the humans serving us. That is how shrine warriors came to be."

"But it didn't stop there did it?" Sakura's eyes narrowed on Harken, already knowing that the true ugliness in all of Harken's explanation hadn't been revealed yet.

Harken shook her head slowly, "No. Far from it. Even though with the shrine warriors, we were able to hold our own, it was a long, bloody battle with many losses on all sides. The Bijuu were just too powerful for the Nuwan to handle. We Guardians are merely shepherds of the planet, we ourselves didn't have the ability to stop them. For even though we created them, we were arrogant in the belief that we were superior to all life, and so we fashioned them to be strong and able to walk where we could not. We are unable to step into the realm of the living world in our true forms and so we were unable to block them from traveling further down their destructive path. As the war continued with no end in sight, the Bijuu that disagreed with their brethren's actions stepped forward with a plan to put a stop to the war once and for all."

"That's when you decided to seal them?"

"Even then we didn't have the power to do it ourselves, so once again we relied on the Nuwan to do it for us," Harken explained coolly, her light yellow eyes fell on Sakura's face, "And we came up with a plan to lure them together. There were three Bijuu who didn't agree with their brethren, and agreed to assist us, but in doing so they would also be sealed. The Guardians lied to them, and promised them freedom once it was done but - we never had intentions of doing so. We had decided that the Bijuu were too dangerous to be allowed to roam where we could not."

Green eyes widened, "No wonder Kyuubi is so angry… about everything."

"All of the Bijuu were sealed with the exception of Kyuubi and Shukaku. They managed to escape. They fooled us by using a shadow form - not unlike the shadow clone jutsus you've seen the shinobi use," Harken looked away, feeling uncomfortable with revealing the sordid truth.

"Why did Nekomata loan you the cat's body?" Sakura bit her lower lip, still a bit confused by some things.

Harken looked away, "Well, that was because of the part I was to play in the plan to seal the Bijuu." A sad smile graced her lips, "Initially I didn't plan to inhabit the body for very long once the Bijuu were safely sealed. The truth is at that time, even I wasn't aware of the consequences of that particular ceremony."

"Consequences?"

"The Head Guardians, the four that you met for your bonding ritual were the ones who bade the shamans to complete the sealing," Harken finally looked at Sakura and the young woman could see the turmoil dancing in the depths of her light yellow eyes.

When Sakura was about to ask why she had paused in her tale when Harken leaned over and gently pressed a forefinger against Sakura's forehead.

Immediately Sakura's surroundings melted away and she was momentarily ensconced under the veil of darkness. She shut her eyes tightly in reflex when she felt the Guardian's power skate through her. She cautiously opened them, realizing almost instantly that she was standing inside the inner sanctum.

The direction of her gaze flit to the side, tracing up the pillars, and over the surface of the platform, wondering why Harken would send her here.

Harken's voice echoed from the darkness, "I cannot say now, that if I known what would occur that I would have tried to intervene and stop it from happening. It wasn't because I agreed, but I didn't have the courage to oppose the Great Ones."

Sakura tilted her head to the side when figures formed in the blackness surrounding her. They took form, and a scene took shape.

Cold settled into her bones, and the air around her grew thick. She shivered when the shadows of light, were given definition. In her mind's eye, she could see a glistening body of water resting in complete tranquility beneath the marble floor of an altar much like the one that existed within her. Tall, elegant columns towered upward to support the ornate roof of the azure dais. Within the ceiling dome, Sakura could see vivid and colorful artwork depicting the Nuwan people.

Many shaman slowly wound their way around the altar, many garbed in colorful robes much similar to the ceremonial garment she kept in the closet at the shrine. Sakura's eyes widened slightly when she noticed that just like the robes she inherited from her mother, each had a clan symbol emblazoned on the back.

On the altar itself, stood four shaman. Two men and two women respectively, their hands interlocked with one another, formed a circle. She could see them speaking to one another, but Sakura couldn't hear what they were saying but she realized that even if she could it was likely she wouldn't understand them anyway.

Then all of a sudden, like a well-trained army of soldiers, every shaman shifted into place and with a surge of blue light, the ceremony began.

Harken spoke softly over the rising sound of the shamans' eerie chant, "Because of the Bijuu's unfettered power, we knew that the plan would take the effort of many shaman. The greatest of the four tribes came together in this one place. The ones standing on the altar, were the spiritual leaders of the Nuwan."

Sakura flinched as she felt a wave of power, raw and with purpose race through her. She crossed her arms against her chest. She could remember the strength of the Bijuu's signatures, but this… this felt just as powerful if not more so, but it did not carry the fearsome bite that the Bijuu's had. No, this felt hot. Too hot. If she could sense this in the memory that Harken was showing her, what had it felt like to the shamans that had been present in that time?

She could nearly feel the anguish that poured down the blood ties of her ancestors. Sakura could see the misery that marred their faces. It was so great that they didn't even open their mouths to scream. The blue light that had circled them slowly turned gray, eventually melting into abysmal blackness. One by one, the shaman began to collapse like a house of cards.

"The cost of this sealing, was the casters' lives." Harken appeared next to her, her eyes trained on the memory playing out before them.

Sakura couldn't look away, even as the scene slowly faded.

She felt her throat constrict, "The Guardians didn't warn them…? Didn't they know that they would die…?" For each question that rose, the sound quickly trailed away.

Harken met Sakura's gaze, and then slowly shook her head. "No one knew, except the Great Ones themselves. They didn't want the Nuwan to refuse and so they did not warn them that this would occur. The Nuwan had already suffered great losses due to the war, and the Head Guardians knew that there was a chance that they wouldn't do it if they were told the truth."

"Yeah but," Sakura could feel her body trembling all over, "that's just horrible. Nuwan or not, they should have been given a choice."

"The Great ones believed that balance must be kept at all costs."

"Do you?" Sakura asked softly.

Harken replied, her face becoming expressionless, "It did stop the war. Kyuubi and Shukaku went into hiding, leaving behind their reign of bloodshed and terror. The remaining Nuwan were able to bring peace and it wasn't long until the warring factions settled, though for many decades after that they still lived segregated from one another. There were skirmishes, and bloodletting that followed because of disagreements and misunderstanding, but never on the scale of what had come before."

Sakura turned her gaze to the floor, and shut her eyes.

"And this is where my story with your clan begins."

She didn't respond and continued to look downward.

"In response to your question, that is hard for me to answer. The truth is, I do believe that balance must be kept, and there have been times that it will come at a great cost," Harken frowned slightly, but then her lips turned up into a small smile as she watched the young woman standing in front of her with warm eyes, "But I didn't agree with the methods of the Great Ones. In fact, there were several other Guardians that were unhappy with what occured. I myself, have always believed that the Nuwan should have been told the truth."

Sakura lifted her chin to peer at Harken's face to ascertain if what the Guardian was telling her was just another lie. The warmth in the Guardian's expression gave her, her answer. Sakura swallowed around the growing lump in her throat, "So if that's the case, why did you lie to my family?"

"Many of the Nuwan clans felt betrayed by the Great Ones. Their feelings began to change to enmity and I made a decision. With the help of other Guardians and the elemental lords, I created Helath. Most of the clans left the living realm, but several clans, including your own stayed behind to guard the sealed gate. I had my true body sealed away in the land of Helath, and in the borrowed body of Nekomata my spirit was able to remain in the living realm. It was never my intention to keep this knowledge secret, but the leader of your clan requested that I take an oath of silence. He didn't want the mistakes of the past marring the future. I was reluctant but I felt obliged to agree to his terms. Once the elders passed away, my true identity was forgotten," Harken finished her explanation.

Sakura filled in the gaps, when she remembered what Shukaku had said to her, "Kyuubi and Shukaku tried many times to set the other Bijuu free. I was told that I had given in to them for much less than others had before me."

Harken's lips pressed into a thin line, "There were other times that they attempted to find the location of the altar and because of that, the remaining clans were wiped out one by one. Your father was the last of his clan, just as you are of yours."

She averted her gaze, her pained visage gave away her defiant emotions, "I still stand by my decision. I do not regret that I gave away the location of the altar for the price of the villagers' lives. I'm sorry, I know that I wasn't there during the war, but I still think there was a better way than just sealing away the Bijuu forever. The Head Guardians, the Great Ones, or whatever they are - from what you're telling me, it seems like they were just trying to find the easiest way to fix the problem. They put a bandaid on it, and decided not to look at the festering sore underneath. I can't blame the Nuwan for wanting to leave the living realm."

"That is why Kyuubi called me a traitor," Harken laid a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "The longer I lived amongst your clan, the more I began to understand his feelings, but by then it was too late for me to do anything for the remaining Bijuu. You see, when the No Tails was murdered the Guardians did nothing, because it wasn't something that would affect the balance of life, we just looked the other way."

"Is that why you lived as a cat for so long?"

"Yes, after the war ended. I believed I needed to atone for the things I didn't do. For what I should have done. This was my greatest sin. I am not the only one that felt this way. Here in Helath, the Guardians of Love and Courage are sealed just as I was, but they remained behind without borrowing a body as I had," Harken moved her hand and once more touched Sakura's forehead with a soft brush of the fingertips.

Sakura felt the sudden shift, and when she blinked, she was no longer standing in the inner sanctum, but was instead sitting upright in the bed in Lady Floriel's home.

A rusty, humorless chuckle left her throat. Sakura deduced swiftly, "So when you behaved as if you hadn't seen the Nuwan or heard the language in ages, you were just putting up a front. You knew the Gate Keeper by name and he recognized you immediately. That means, that when you disappeared from the shrine - you came here didn't you?"

"Yes. I had lied for so long that it eventually became a natural aspect of my life. I'm ashamed that such a despicable behavior became apart of who I was, because I am supposed to be the Guardian of Hope. However, it shames me more that I stood by and did nothing when I should have," Harken revealed softly, a pained expression marring her features.

"I told Shukaku, when I was kidnapped the first time. Yes, there was a first time," the corner of Sakura's lips twitched when Harken looked up startled at that announcement. "I refuse to be caught up in the hate of the past. I wasn't there, and I will not dwell in a past that I had no hand in making."

Harken suddenly sighed, her expression growing somber. "There is another reason, I came to speak to you alone."

Sakura's heart sank when she seen the usual light in the Guardian's eyes dim slightly, "What else is there to say? I'm just glad that you decided to tell me the truth."

"When you return home. I won't be able to go with you," Harken announced in a near whisper.

The shaman reached over and placed her hand lightly over the Guardian's, "I know. I mean, you did mention before that Guardian's can't walk in the living realm. Even before you said anything, I knew that we wouldn't be able to go back to the way things were before." Sakura gently squeezed the warm appendage underneath her palm, "But the truth is, I know you're a Guardian now, but you'll always be family to me. I didn't take the risks that I did to get here because I felt like it was my duty as a shaman or anything like that. I did it because I wanted to."

Harken's lips trembled even as she tried to smile. She met Sakura's gaze with a melancholy that made something inside the young woman ache, "I don't know what you'll face when you return, but I do know that the Bijuus may decide to come after you again. And Sakura, you are the type of person who tries to do what you believe is right even if it costs you personally. That alone worries me."

"Well, if Kyuubi does decide to come after me again. There's not much I can do about that. I doubt he'd be impressed with a static shock," Sakura joked, trying to lighten the somber mood.

"You do realize that you have so much more talent than that," Harken arched a brow at her, "I know it's not in your nature to want to cause destruction for the sake of it. That's always been something that has set the Nuwan apart from others. However, if you'd connect with the elemental spirits with the intention of truly harming someone…"

Sakura glanced away then, "I know that. I've always known that. Even when I was kidnapped, and I asked the elemental spirits to help me… I still didn't want to actually kill my attackers. I just wanted to slow them down long enough so that I had a chance to be rescued."

"The elemental spirits do respond to your emotion to some extent. You've already seen how they are manipulated by shinobi. You've even met a fire spirit who serves the Uchiha clan willingly and with pride. The Uchiha clan has no way of forcing an element to bend to their will. The elements respond because they want to," Harken smirked knowingly at her, "But you, if you truly wanted to, you could cause hurricanes, earthquakes, thunderstorms, and the fire flowing below the surface of the ground to explode."

"I don't want to do all that. I mean, I've always known deep down that such things might be a possibility if the elements wanted to comply but…" Sakura's shoulders lifted in a shrug. Causing mass destruction even with the intention of doing something good, didn't sit well with her. It never had, and even now she found no part of her was tempted to manipulate the spirits that way. It was truly an ugly realization.

Harken's lips quirked into a smile, "That's because the Nuwan soul, desires peace most of all."

"If you know that? Why even bother to tell me that I have the ability to cause large scale trouble?" Sakura couldn't understand why a Guardian would even encourage such a thing.

The smile on Harken's face faded. She cleared her throat, getting back to what she really wanted to say to the young shaman. Light yellow met green and locked on, holding Sakura's attention firmly in place, "The desire that you have to avoid hurting others is naïve. That was a lesson that I was forced to learn at a great cost that I don't want you to pay. I know that should the time come where you are made to make a choice again to protect someone else, just know that you cannot expect to protect someone precious to you without causing harm to someone else."

Harken's words settled on Sakura's shoulders, and the shaman was forced to feel the weight of them. Sakura wanted to look away but couldn't. In the deepest recess of her being, she had always known that to be the case. It was an unsettling thought that she hadn't bothered to delve into too deeply.

The Guardian continued in a softer voice, "That's a part of life that's unavoidable. I'm happy that you don't want to get caught up with what happened in the past. After all, the past is the very reason why the Nuwan still live in Helath today. Your clan had courage, and they chose to stay in the living realm because they didn't believe in running away. I know you don't either, but that doesn't mean that you have to put yourself at the Bijuu's mercy ever again."

Harken slowly rose to her feet, unwinding her hands from Sakura's hold.

Green eyes followed the Guardian's graceful movements. Sakura finally said, "Thank you. I think I understand what you're trying to say in all this."

The Guardian nodded, and turned away. She mentioned before she strode to the door, "I know you're still resting but Mirdan wants to have a proper burial ceremony for the body I borrowed from Nekomata in the morning."

Sakura immediately replied, "If the healer will let me out of here, I want to be there."

Harken paused, and glanced over her shoulder to smile affectionately at the young woman. Then, the Guardian swept out of the small home leaving the young woman alone with her thoughts, and the unsettling weight of the truth.

Oddly enough, Sakura felt a bit bereft at Harken's departure, but no longer felt tired. In fact, she wanted nothing more than to find the restroom, and hopefully find a place to bathe. She felt so dirty and that alone made her feel uncomfortable.

She pushed her way out of bed, and even though it hurt a bit to stand, Lady Floriel had wrapped her feet well enough that it was just a sore twinge. Limping slightly around the small home, she eventually found the tiny restroom, and quickly made use of it. Unfortunately there wasn't a tub, so she made do with thoroughly washing her face and hands in the white porcelain sink.

Feeling substantially better, she hobbled back to the bed. Sitting down on the mattress, she felt it dip beneath her weight. Bracing her chin on her hands, she quickly found herself lost in thought. In the back of her mind, Sakura knew she should probably go back to sleep, but after everything was said and done, she couldn't drum up the desire to even try.

Instead Sakura pondered what it was that she should do next. She instinctively knew that everything that had occurred in her life until the present was culminating to a boiling point that she knew she wouldn't be able to handle alone.

Forcing her whirling thoughts to the confines at the back of her mind, the young shaman stood to her feet once again, and headed towards the chair that faced the fire. She breathed in deeply as she sat down, catching the scent left behind by her husband. It soothed her frayed emotions, and she was able to relax while she waited for his return.

Never would she hide the truth from him again, and so Sakura resolved that she would tell Itachi everything. Perhaps he would have better insight on the whole sordid events on the past and what to do with it once they returned home. Shutting her eyes, she listened to the crackle of the flames while waiting for him to come back from his walk. However, no matter how relaxed she became, her mind wouldn't allow her the solace of slumber.

**-o-**

**A/N: (warning, it's long) **I hope this clarifies a lot of things for everyone. Also to note, I didn't want to use the usual "haves" and "have nots" to describe the people and the situations of the past, so I used the term gifted and those without gifts and variations there of in its stead. I also wanted to lightly touch on the original Naruto series in regards to the treatment of those born with bloodline abilities after the war. Even after all this time, the story of Haku's past remains vivid in my mind. I wanted to nod my head in regards to that small, heartrending piece of the Naruto series and somehow include that reality in this story. To me, this AU wouldn't be complete without it.

With that said, I can't promise that I can chug a chapter out soon because once again, I'm getting close to the seasonal aspect of my job and recently real life has truly began to eat away at my writing time. I can only promise everyone that I'll try my best. And as always, thank you for taking the time to read.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** I'm happy that the last chapter clarified things for everyone. Onward on this journey we go! I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I've been meaning to get something out, but with my job, and I'm sad to say (and in all honesty) - limping muse, it's been a real battle for me lately. The person I typically discuss plots with is working many more hours, and it's not really an excuse, so I won't go on but... I know it's been 5 months, and this is all I have to show for it. Either way, I hope that you all enjoy it for what it is.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to Naruto.

**Chapter 28**

Strangely enough it was a companionable silence that existed between the two males. Itachi ignored the resident children that bolted to the fence line to stare at him with wide eyes while he and his escort strode by. One of the first things he noticed about the houses that lined the core of the village, was that they were quite similar in structure and color to the old homes in former Ixion.

With the merge, many of the original residents had wrought changes to their homes to better fit in with those of the Konoha Alliance. Only the elderly citizens had refused to paint the dreary neutral tones over the deeply rich hues that coated the wooden panels of their homes. Even in normal villages, the use of such tones was highly unusual.

Itachi cleared his throat, drawing Haldir's attention to him. Finally the shinobi voiced his curiosity out loud, "Is there a reason behind the chosen color of the homes?"

Haldir smiled at his guest, his viridian orbs studied the slightly shorter man at his side before he responded, "Yes," he halted and turned to face a bright sky blue house, "Each clan has a crest and color. As you can see," he gestured to his own apparel with a graceful sweep of the hand, "Brown is my clan's, the wolf is our emblem."

"I imagine they hold a significant amount of pride for the clans," Itachi surmised coolly. He remembered the way Sakura bristled at his father over the worth of the Haruno symbol at the dinner table.

The shrine warrior turned and resumed walking. Itachi fell into step beside Haldir, obsidian orbs flitting to the side to observe the Nuwan. He noted quickly the way Haldir seemed to think over his small announcement. It was obvious that the shrine warrior was thinking about how to respond.

Haldir shook his head, a small smile played about his mouth as he mused silently. The tone of his voice warm, "I wouldn't use the term pride in relation to that particular custom. Rather, it's symbolic of the balance in a clan. The hue represents the spiritual aspect of a family and the crest symbolizes the deep-set values that move the shrine warriors in that clan to action. We believe in having a reminder always around us, for even as I walk the street - I am able to look at the various colors and remember what drives me to do what I do. To the Nuwan, no clan is greater nor less than another. We just are."

Itachi hated to admit that he was slightly intrigued by the entire concept. For shinobi, the sight of a clan emblem was meant to incite fear in their enemies. Larger clans like the Uchiha's and Hyuuga's prided themselves on the edge that their bloodline limit gave them over other weaker family lines. Shinobi clans were infamous for guarding their secrets jealously. His clan was a perfect example of that particular stigma.

When he had initially moved into Konoha, he recalled that Sakura would typically wear a magenta ensemble with the white circle set in the center of the back.

In his mind he could her explanation to his father clearly_, It simply represents the eternal, and unending circle of life._

As time had passed and she'd grown more comfortable in his presence, she had quit the practice of wearing the outdated garments and she had even agreed to wear his clan's emblem for the festival. _She loved him._ A nervous knot formed in the pit of his stomach at the wayward thought. He pushed the feeling away, and focused his intention on the conversation. This sort of emotion didn't really suit someone of his nature.

Haldir interrupted his private musings, "This should have allowed the old woman enough time. Do you wish to return to the healer's cottage? Or…" the amusement in the shrine warrior's verdant eyes wasn't lost on Itachi, "would you rather wander aimlessly through the village a little while longer?"

Itachi half-smirked at the other male, "Do you wish to test her ire?"

Haldir merely sent him a boyish grin, full of mischief that was almost reminiscent of one of Naruto's infamous smiles. The shrine warrior shrugged, "There's no feeling in my ear after her earlier stunt. I think I can handle it."

Itachi had a feeling that even though the green-haired warrior was attempting to make a joke, he was actually being half serious.

He changed the subject, "So… what does your clan color and symbol actually mean?'

Haldir replied with a smile still etched firmly on his face, "Stalling are we?" When Itachi didn't react to the verbal jab, his expression sobered. He explained easily, "Well brown, of course is an earthy hue, but to our people it also signifies dependability. The wolf is an animal that represents many different things. Each shrine warrior in my clan carries a different outlook on what the wolf symbolizes to them. Some view them as great warriors, and others a wise teacher."

Itachi knew very little about the animal, and was interested in what Haldir himself thought. He asked Haldir curiously, "What does it mean to you?"

The shrine warrior smiled again, his eyes alight as he considered the simple query. He stopped and angled an unexpectedly somber look in Itachi's direction, "A bit of both. Even though they are powerful predators, they exist together as a pack. They live as a well coordinated family unit. Wolves are loyal, and one could also say they are almost militaristic in the way they work as a group." Haldir finally glanced away. He pointed his gaze towards the mountains in the distance, "There are many values that I admire, I suppose - but what strikes me most of all is the fact that for as powerful as they are, they are a humble creature in many ways."

"Humility is an unusual trait for a warrior to admire."

Haldir glanced back at Itachi, thought-laden verdant orbs came to rest on Itachi's face. He shook his head, "Arrogance causes a warrior to lose sight of what's truly important. Retaining the humility that one has when he first learns the way of a warrior always keeps his mind open to always learning new things."

Itachi nodded. Even though he himself, didn't quite share those values, he could see some aspect of truth to it.

The Nuwan continued, "Every member of the pack is important, each have their own role to play. The bonds that I hold with those close to me, are what give me the strength to do what I do everyday."

A small smirk played about Itachi's lips, "For a shinobi, the relationships that you have with others are seen as a weakness by enemies."

Haldir dipped his head in acknowledgement, his green eyes dulled. He returned, "One could argue however that choosing the path of a warrior is a very personal endeavor. Training alone; willing to spill your blood for some cause or another. Is it not you who decides what personal goals must be met? Isn't allowing another person's views to control how you behave and think, a weakness in and of itself?"

Itachi replied with his trademark Uchiha smirk. It wasn't that the warrior didn't have a point. Rather, he found it ironic that this Nuwan's beliefs were so similar to the new Hokage's. It further emphasize the Third Hokage's decision in his successor. It wasn't because this idea was amazing to him, it was the fact, that the Uzumakis' were also independent thinkers. That's exactly what Konoha needed at this time.

He finally voiced his own thoughts, "My clan's values completely clash with most of everything you just said. However," Itachi paused, "It would be dishonest for me to tell you that you didn't make some valid points. The main difference between you and I, is not necessarily our race. You live in a place of peace. When you are forced to live through wars, with the knowledge that it's likely that you will lose someone… It's difficult not to be wary of the ties you make."

Haldir's lips twitched, his brows winging down as he processed Itachi's response. After several moments, he sighed and dipped his head in acknowledgment, "I see. You're absolutely right. We continually hone our skills in this land, for the sake of family honor and prestige alone. I have never been in a situation of life and death, so perhaps my ideals come across as naïve."

Itachi was taken off guard by the other man's humility. He felt the weight of the other warrior's wisdom settle in his mind. This was someone who practiced exactly what he preached. Even past his inclination to distrust everything at first glance, Itachi's instincts told him that Haldir was a man of integrity, and in that he felt a measure of respect for the Nuwan.

"Come. We've lingered long enough. Let us return, and brave the old woman's wrath."

The corners of Itachi's lips twitched, almost as if wanting to smile. He however, managed to keep his mask of indifference firmly in place.

**-o-**

"Argh!" Naruto suddenly blurted loudly. All the birds in the vicinity immediately went silent. A squirrel at the base of the old ash, dropped his prized nut and with a swish of his tail, slinked into the relative safety of a thorny bush. The blond sagged against the trunk, his blue eyes narrowing with irritation.

Sai, who had remained silent during the entirety of their lookout, raised a brow at his teammate but said nothing. He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to say in a moment like this. It wasn't unusual for Naruto to suddenly make odd noises for apparently no reason.

Sasuke bit out, "What's wrong with you dobe?"

"This is so damn _boring! _We're out here doing a damn chuunin's job. I hate this kind of shit."

At this, the Uchiha rolled his eyes at the blond's complaining and shook his head. He knew that Naruto hated to be confined on a simple lookout mission. Even if underneath the surface it wasn't what it seemed. He sighed under his breath, knowing that almost anything he said would turn into a debate with his antsy teammate. Sasuke peered back at cave's entrance, his expression hooded. Even though he knew it might possibly send Naruto onto another one of his rants, Sasuke explained coolly, masking his exasperation with the blond, "This may seem like something a chuunin should be doing instead of ANBU Ops, but we have no idea what could come out of there."

Even though the porcelain mask concealed Naruto's expression, Sasuke knew the blond was making a face at him. Finally Naruto relented, "Yeah well, either way your brother owes us for this one teme."

Sai suddenly interjected in his trademark monotone, "It looks like the Hyuugas' are finished."

Sasuke's eyes darted towards the cave entrance just in time to see Neji and Hinata exiting. He noticed the kunoichi had a notebook tucked tightly under her arm. Her mouth was drawn into a small frown. The two stopped to converse for several moments, and then Hinata suddenly darted into the tree tops, bounding through the forest canvas expertly in the direction of Konoha.

Neji turned and glanced in their direction. When he made no move to leave, Sasuke leapt down, with the other two right behind him.

The Hyuuga's mouth mirrored his cousins. Something inside Sasuke clenched tightly. Did Neji know something new pertaining to the situation?

Neji stated without preamble, "The blood on the altar wasn't your brother's."

The tension in Sasuke's shoulders slackened, and they drooped slightly, giving away his exhaustion to the others, "We already deduced that much with Akamaru."

"That leaves us to assume that it is Sakura's." Sai added impassively.

"Hinata said that Tsunade-sama studied the sample hoping to find answers. Hinata explained that the doctor was attempting to find a way that we could manipulate the altar to open up for us, but…" Neji folded his arms against his chest, "She can see no real noticeable markers in Sakura's DNA that explains how she was able to trigger a chakra source, like the one inside."

Sasuke didn't need it spelled out for him. He bit out icily, "So it all comes down to that we have to wait for them to return to us. We already figured that would be the case."

"Yes." The Hyuuga delivered a firm nod, and then added, "However, Tsunade-sama will continue to research the possibility. The Hokage doesn't want us to disregard the option quite yet. From what Hinata has said, Shizune is still exploring a few other leads as well."

"They'll come back," Sasuke's fingers curled, his hands balling into fists. His throat tightened. He whispered hoarsely under his breath, "Aniki..."

The Uchiha lowered his head, inky bangs falling forward to cover the dark expression in his eyes. That damn woman had always been nothing but trouble! His fist shot out, cannoning full force into the tree trunk on his left. The bark splintered, ripping away at the glove he wore, the metal guard bending beneath the unrestrained force. Even when blood started to leak down the crevices of the black leather, he punched the tree again and again, quietly cursing the pink-haired woman's existence from the depths of his soul.

Naruto and Neji watched in helpless silence while Sasuke's usually solemn, and restrained veneer cracked under the torrent of rage.

Neither spoke a word. Even Sai didn't venture to blunder out his usually ill-timed words. Instincts told them that there were no words to speak.

Finally Sasuke stopped, withdrawing his hand. He stared blankly at the damage he'd caused to himself. He realized belatedly, that he wasn't really angry at Sakura. No, he was angry at his brother. His older sibling had willingly gone with the woman, and left Sasuke behind to pick up the pieces. He knew that there was a reason for all of this. He didn't know what it was, but he wasn't of the mind to have a foundationless faith in something he didn't understand. He knew that he had taken up for the couple, but a part of him had remained angry at his brother's choice.

The next set of nin suddenly appeared next to them. Shikamaru's voice startled Sasuke out of his thoughts, "Troublesome."

The Yondaime must be pulling out all stops, if he was sending Shikamaru, one of his master strategists on a simple lookout job. The next crew however were simply a small squad of jounin.

Shikamaru shifted his brown eyes to encompass the blond, "You are to report to the Hokage," before Naruto could protest he glanced at Sasuke, "Your father also wishes to speak to you as well," and finally his gaze rested on Sai, "You will stay here. We will use your lookouts until Aburame arrives. I'd also like for you," he cast his mirthless expression in Neji's direction, "to explain everything you know to me."

Seconds after the announcement, everyone dispersed in all directions. Shikamaru gazed at the sparse afternoon clouds passing over his head, his mind filled with memories of the mysterious young woman. It'd had already been almost two days from the couples' disappearance with no answer in sight. It seemed that Sakura would forever plague him with puzzles that even he couldn't find the answer to.

With on last sigh, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He breathed in the pungent, but soothing smoke. He focused his attention on the stone-faced Hyuuga once more, "Please, feel free to start from the beginning."

As Neji explained, many pieces of the puzzle presented themselves to his ingenious mind, almost taunting his intelligence. Shikamaru would be damned if he knew how to put it all together. And then he had a thought, "Has anyone questioned Lady Utatane?"

"She maintains she knows nothing about any of this, nor how the altar works. She did say however, that her father lectured her and her brother on the importance of their bloodline."

"When the Bijuu came to the village, they were after Sakura. They used her for whatever purpose that involved the sky opening up," Shikamaru rubbed his chin. They were likely after something only someone of her race could accomplish. Which would explain why such powerful beings would even bother with coming to their village.

"There is one other thing I didn't mention, because it seemed a little too ridiculous," Neji faltered for a moment and then shook his head, "Sasuke thinks that she ran off because her cat was injured… but…"

"But…?" The strategist eyed the Hyuuga's twisting countenance curiously.

"According to Lady Utatane, that cat was around even before her grandfather's time. She says that, that cat speaks only to the shamans. Since she never followed through the rites herself, she didn't really know much else, but she said it was likely that the cat was Sakura's teacher," Neji ran a brisk hand through his hair, giving away his agitation.

"It's hard to overlook any information in this case. Sakura has _always_ been a very secretive and reclusive person. She makes us shinobi look - sociable." Shikamaru thrust his hands deep into his pockets. He cleared his throat, "The whole thing may seem ridiculous, but in this instance, everything leads us back to Sakura's cat, or whatever it is. If what Lady Utatane says is true, then that animal is the key to this entire puzzle."

Shikamaru took the cigarette out of his mouth, and flicked it aside with nimble fingers. He ground his toe into the stub, and turned away.

"Where are you going? I thought you were going to take the next lookout," Neji asked suddenly.

"I just came here for answers. Aburame is on his way. I'm going to report to the Hokage."

"What are you going to tell him?" The Hyuuga wondered what could actually be said at this point.

"There is no possible way for us to figure out the answers on our own. The two key pieces of this puzzle are missing. We're just going to have to _trust _Itachi to bring those _pieces _home."

At the strategist's response Neji shook his head, but deep down, he knew that Shikamaru was right. Turning away, he reentered the cave. He was certain that he searched the inner premises thoroughly, but one more time couldn't hurt. Although, somewhere deep inside, he knew that it was useless.

"Damn Uchihas," he muttered under his breath as he activated his byakugan, and once again surveyed the chakra lines for what seemed like the hundredth time.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: **Here's more on our favorite couple. I wanted to include this with the previous chapter, but it wasn't quite right yet. It's still not perfect, I'm a bit rusty. I hope you all enjoy anyway. =) **ALSO**, there was fan art done by **SimplyCliu. **The links to the fan art is posted on my author's page. **Check it out! **Two very cool renditions of Sakura, one with the scythe, and also using her shaman abilities. =) I love them SimplyCliu. They're beautiful.

**Warning: **Just a bit of citrus.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto, etcetera, etcetera, so on and so forth.

**Chapter 29**

Even though she had struggled against it, sleep had claimed her. No one listened to her lately, not even her body. Rubbing the vestiges of slumber from her eyes, Sakura rolled over to find Itachi laying next to her on top of the bedcovers. Her heart skipped a beat, as she scanned his features with concern.

Although he was fast asleep, deep lines of strain bracketed his mouth, and his lashes fluttered in an almost tic like fashion. She realized that it was likely that Itachi was dreaming, or lost in the realm of nightmares. Longing to reach out and smooth the creases away with gentle fingertips, something held her back. Not wanting to delve too deeply into her psyche she refrained from giving into the urge to touch him.

Averting her gaze from his arresting face, she looked towards the window. It was still night, Sakura mused silently. Wriggling away from the prone, warm body next to hers, she managed to make it into a standing position without waking her husband. An amused smile curved her lips. That was unusual. Typically, she couldn't even blink without Itachi bolting awake.

She knew it came with his training. Sakura suppressed a wry chuckle. She had somehow managed to tire Itachi to the point, that he was practically dead to the world. Limping lightly across the room, she glanced around searching for signs of Floriel, but found none.

Grabbing the shawl that hung over the back of the chair next to the front door, Sakura slipped the slightly discolored and obviously well used garment over slender shoulders. Holding her breath, she grasped the doorknob and quietly made her way out to the porch.

She hated to admit it, but she almost felt like a naughty child breaking a curfew. The old healer would probably have a fit, to see her patient up and about, but Sakura wanted to breathe in the fresh air, free of the scent of herbs.

"You rise, even before the sun." A familiar male voice announced suddenly seeming to come out of the shadows.

Startled, Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin. She placed a hand over her chest, the fast tempo of her heart rate seemed to nearly pound out of her ear drums.

"Don't do that!" She gasped out, her poor excuse of a glare lost on the green-haired male watching her. The small gleam in his eyes was the only thing that gave away his amusement at her expense.

"Are you feeling better?" He inquired politely.

"You don't have to make nice," Sakura shook her head, and went to lean against the porch railing, "I just needed some fresh air, is all." In the face of a stranger, she could already feel her hackles starting to rise. Granted, she'd met him and vaguely remembered his name, but she couldn't help but feel the barriers she'd relied on for so long start to re-erect themselves.

"Not too friendly, are you?"

This time, when Sakura shot him a glare, she noticed the mirth quaking on his face begging to surface.

Her mouth thinned, but then she mentally berated herself. At his easy-going smile, her armor cracked and she finally followed suit, a rueful grin taking its place. She shook her head still grinning, "I guess I'm not. Old habits die hard."

Dark green eyes flickered towards her bandaged feet, and her bedraggled appearance. He amended in a surprisingly warm and kind voice, "It's understandable. It is obvious you've been through much."

"It doesn't make it right though, does it?" She shook her head at her own silliness. She turned to face the shrine warrior, "I know you probably already know this, but I'm Sakura." Holding out her hand, she was a bit taken aback when he took her diminutive hand with a callused palm and gave it a slight squeeze.

"Haldir. I am honored." He introduced himself formally, with a slight bow before releasing her from his grasp.

His friendly demeanor set her at ease. She'd been expecting another Tyoril, but fortunately Haldir didn't share the other Nuwan's frosty manner.

"Where is Lady Floriel?" Sakura had to ask.

"She is staying at her sister's for the night. Do not worry, you are safe from her wrath for now," he grinned at the slight trepidation twisting her features.

"So why are you here?"

"I was ordered to keep watch to make certain you weren't disturbed," he replied immediately.

"Oh well, thanks." She tipped her head at him.

"Ah, you really need to relax Sakura," Haldir noticed that the small lines of worry hadn't faded from her face yet.

Sakura shook her head, "It's hard for me to do so. I'm sorry."

Turning away, she leaned against the railing once again, and stared off into the starry sky. Tilting her chin to the side, she shut her eyes, and listened to the warm whispers that spoke almost nonsensical words of comfort against the lobes of her ear.

The silence waned for several long moments, and then with her eyes still shut she murmured, "I would never have dreamed up such a place as where the rest of the Nuwan went."

Haldir cleared his throat and then said, "I remember that you said that you were a Haruno."

"Yes."

"Do you know your mother's maiden name?" He inquired curiously.

Sakura's eyes opened and she glanced to the side to survey the male watching her, "No. My parents died when I was still pretty young." Nor was it a question, she'd ever thought to ask her great aunt. She cleared her throat, "Why do you ask?"

Haldir moved closer and suddenly reached over and hooked a thumb under her chin and lifted it slightly, staring down into her eyes. A small smile tugged at his mouth, "I thought so. I wasn't able to get a good look at first but…" He trailed off and removed his touch before she had a chance to get over her shock and protest.

"What the hell was that about?" Even though her words were harsh, her voice wavered slightly, losing any of the bite that it would have normally had.

"My clan name is Taiki, and although the Nuwan are certainly a colorful people, my clan is known for having green eyes," He explained, his thought-laden verdant eyes piercing right through her.

"That's interesting and all but… your clan is here, and my family stayed behind to guard the gates," Sakura's lower lip caught in her teeth as she thought about what he said.

"Many clans split, during that time due to disagreements. It's just something I noticed, but with a thousand years between those generations, it's probably just an odd coincidence," he turned away from her, chiding himself for his own foolish ramblings. It was quite possible the clans would have mingled blood with outsiders over the generations anyway.

"So the people on this side already knew the truth," Sakura mused to herself, the realization veering her thoughts away from the interesting conversation.

"I'm sorry…?"

"No, never mind," Sakura waved his query aside, and even though her feet ached, she wanted to wait for the sun to rise. Today was a new day, in a new land. It was an odd thought, but she wanted to stand right here to welcome it. It was proof, that she had managed to finish what she had set out to achieve.

When the morning's rays finally started to peek out from the far horizon, tears started to burn the backs of her eyelids.

Vibrant colors speared across the sky. Periwinkle and stars gave way to magenta, orange, and purples. The almost seemingly melting hues faded to the familiar azure blue, as the sun finally made it up over the mountain ridge in the distance. However, the startling beauty barely made a blip on her mental grid. Instead, the overwhelming emotion of just being where she was floored her.

Helath. The land of the Nuwan.

A place that she herself didn't even half believe existed.

"Will you attend the funeral this morning?"

"I'm sorry," Sakura blinked back the tears that wanted to escape and shook the cobwebs from her brain, "What?"

"They will be having a ceremony for Nekomata's body, the one that Harken inhabited, in honor of the Bijuu's and Harken's sacrifice," Haldir clarified somberly.

So much, so fast, was Sakura's first thought. Straightening, she crossed her arms over her chest, and looked up into the morning sky, "If I'm allowed to attend."

"What are you doing out of bed?" A shrill voice suddenly demanded.

Sakura stiffened when she glanced up, only to see the old woman marching up the walkway towards them, her deceptively frail demeanor taut with anger.

The shaman blanched.

Even Haldir remained quiet.

She ventured softly, "I just came out for some fresh air."

Floriel's lavender gaze sharpened, and her brow shot upwards. She reached up and pinched Sakura's cheek none too gently, "Your skin is way too cold for you to have just done that. You've been outside for quite awhile."

"Yes. I watched the sunrise," Sakura admitted. She wasn't about to lie to the boisterous healer.

At that, Floriel's eyes narrowed on Haldir, "And you let her stand out here in this chill. You know better Haldir Taiki…"

When the old woman said his full name with promised retribution in her tone, the full grown male flinched.

It was all Sakura could do, not to smile. She counted herself lucky that it hadn't been Floriel guarding her hospital room in Konoha. She would have never made it down the hall.

"I'm going to go to the ceremony preceding. Do you have anything that I can attend in?" Sakura braved the healer's wrath. Even if Floriel didn't, she was going anyway. She really didn't care what people thought about what she looked like. When had she ever cared anyway?

Floriel eyed her patient up and down for several long moments, and when Sakura didn't even blink even under the penetrating gaze, the healer relented. She nodded, "Fine. If you insist, then we better get you ready. I probably have some old robes that you can fit in. They might be a bit long for you, but anything will be better than what you arrived in. You'll just have to let me rewrap your feet after you bathe."

"Thank you Lady Floriel," Sakura was truly grateful to the old woman, and it showed in her voice.

Sakura's sincerity softened the harsh lines around the woman's eyes, as she was ushered inside.

Outside, Haldir released a breath of relief. Somehow, he had managed to escape the healer's wrath. He had to hand it to Sakura. Not too many could withstand the old woman's hard stare. Issuing a mock salute to the door, he returned to his post with a grin still on his face.

**-o-**

Sakura watched Itachi jackknife in the bed when Floriel slammed the front door. It was all she could do not to giggle at the lost expression on his face. That just told her, that Itachi must have been even more exhausted then she thought.

She ambled over to the bed, and sat down. Itachi, having already regained his composure, merely arched a brow at his wife.

"Good morning," she reached over and lay a hand over his.

A muscle jumped in his jaw, but he didn't deign to say anything to her.

Floriel bustled over to her and grasped Sakura's ankle, and started to unwrap the bindings. She raised her eyes to hers, "You're healing well. It seems that most of your issue was your chakra exhaustion. This should be mostly cleared up within another day or so."

"What? Really?" Sakura looked down at her feet, only to find that the sores had already closed up, and the scabs were well beyond what she knew they should be.

"I'm not called the best healer in the village for nothing. Now," Floriel swayed to her feet and put her hands on her hips and sent a look in Itachi's direction, "you need to take her to the bathhouse in the back and help her in and out. Last thing she needs is to reopen any of the sores before I'm able to bind her feet again. While you're doing that I'll get some breakfast on the table. We don't have much time before the ceremony starts…" She moved towards the backroom, and started to dig around inside until she reappeared with a bundle of clothes, "These should suffice for now."

As the old woman spoke, Sakura's face grew redder and redder. Itachi. Help her bathe?

She snuck a glance at her husband, and noticed that the only thing that gave away his emotions was that he too was blushing, but only slightly.

He cleared his throat, but it was still a bit husky when he asked, "Ceremony?"

"Sakura can explain that to you. Get a move on now if you don't want to miss it!" The old woman dumped the clothes on the bed and moved towards the small kitchenette and started to bustle around in the cabinets.

Well, they were married, so it would make sense that her husband would be the one to help her.

The couple exchanged a glance.

Sakura was a bit surprised to see the unspoken question in Itachi's eyes. At her small nod, he stood up and gathered the clothes, and easily picked her up. She buried her face against his chest, to hide the blooming embarrassment she knew that was clearly visible. Breathing in the scent of rainwater and soft leather, she surreptitiously peeked up at him.

His features were set in stone.

She let out a small sigh, and ducked her face away, allowing the fringe of bangs to fall over her eyes when he glanced down at her.

He set her down gently when they reached the inside of the small bathhouse in Floriel's backyard. She smiled when she recognized the similarities to the one on her property.

The pristine room reminded her how dirty she felt. A promising gurgle of water led her to the sunken square in an alcove in the corner of the spacious bathhouse. On a shallow shelf lay squares of yellow colored soap, soft white towels and a strange wooden brush-comb.

Steam rose from the surface of the water, and for a moment Sakura forgot her embarrassment.

She wondered if there was anything to see under the layers of dirt anyway.

For a few moments the couple stood frozen, pondering the situation they now found themselves in. She glanced at her husband shyly and murmured, "I suppose we'd have to reach this point in our relationship eventually."

Itachi reached down and gently cupped her chin, "I can wait outside if you wish. I do not fear the old woman's wrath."

Sakura teased him with a quirky grin, "You say that now."

Finally Sakura just snorted and grabbed them hem of her shirt, "Let's just do this."

Before Itachi could protest against her rash actions, his wife quickly shed her clothes and even though she was blushing from head to toe, she placed a hand on her hip and stared up at him almost defiantly.

Immediately Itachi felt the effects of his attraction at the sight of her nude body. The glimpse of milky hued skin, pert breasts, and the apex of matching hair covering her femininity caused all rational thought to seize up. Especially with the saucy pose she'd taken. It was all he could do not to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her senseless.

He ran a callused finger down her cheek, and stared straight into her eyes.

Sakura's limbs quivered at the unspoken desire flaring to life between the two of them. Turning, she cautiously stepped into the warm bath and sat on the ledge in the back. She couldn't help herself. It was with hungry eyes, she watched him shed his clothes. Even when she could see the blatant display of his arousal for her, she didn't avert her eyes. He was the picture of masculine grace and beauty, she thought to herself privately. She did not have anyone else to go by however, but she was certain that an expert opinion wasn't needed in this instance.

When he stepped, in she scooted to the side to allow him some room. Itachi sat, and before she could get in another word, his hand snaked out and he pulled her flush against his chest.

Skin to skin, Sakura almost couldn't breathe. The sensations the feeling evoked was beyond anything she experienced in her life. Sensual. His gentle touch made her feel cherished. Wanted. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting against her shoulder blades, pulling her into a warm embrace.

His lips came to rest against her temple in a light kiss.

The sweet gesture made her want more, so much more. It was without words, he was telling her how he felt about her. Kindness and patience in his restraint and in his touch. What she had done to deserve something like this, she'd never know. It made her heart ache with something she couldn't explain. She loved him, she knew that without a doubt.

His usually smooth tenor was raspy with exposed, raw desire, "We should hurry, before the old woman comes in after us."

She nodded against his collarbone, but before she pulled away, she couldn't help but kiss the small scar there puckered against tan skin.

The feel of her lips caused a soft moan to escape him. He braced his hands on her upper arms and impelled her back gently. The look in her large, expressive eyes almost made him lose all his resolve.

Sakura smiled at him, her gaze alight with warmth. She moved around him in the water to grab the soap and lathered it against the wash cloth. Staring at the suds, she set herself to the task of washing away at least three days worth of grime.

By the time the couple emerged from the bath, their skin was turning pink from the heat. Toweling dry, Sakura handed Itachi his set of clothes, and she quickly slipped into the outfit set aside for her. It was just a simple pair of dark blue, soft cloth pants, and a matching long sleeved tunic, with a simple drawstring tie at the top.

When she turned with the brush in hand, Itachi was dressed similarly but his outfit was dark gray instead. Sakura looked at the ankle of the pants ending just below mid calf, and at the tightly stretched material across his chest. She couldn't contain her laughter, "A little bit too snug, I see."

He smirked at her, "And you're just a little too short."

She turned up her nose at him. Sakura gasped sharply when he hauled her off her feet so fast, she felt like the room was spinning. Itachi took the brush from her hand and set it back on the shelf.

They left the bathhouse, still smiling at each other. When they entered the healer's house, breakfast was already waiting for them.

"Just in time. I've already eaten. I'll wait outside. Don't take too much longer though, the ceremony should be starting pretty soon," Floriel told them, before sweeping out of the house in a flurry of purple robes.

"What ceremony?" Itachi asked Sakura before seating himself at the small, wooden table.

Sakura suddenly didn't feel all that hungry. She bit her lower lip and met his sharp gaze, "They're going to hold a funeral, I guess you could call it, for Hana's body. To pay respect to the Bijuu's sacrifice."

"I see. And you wish to go to this?"

Sakura felt his scrutiny more than saw it. She nodded curtly, not meeting his eyes, "Of course. Or rather, it's not a matter of what I want, it's something that I should do."

She forced a piece of bread down her throat. The moment her stomach started to protest, she stood up from the breakfast table.

Sakura went to the door and peeked outside, "We're just about ready."

"Good. I'll wrap your feet up before we go. I have a pair of shoes you can borrow."

Lady Floriel led the young shaman to the chair by the fire, and quickly set Sakura's feet back up in the bandages. She handed her a cane to use and helped her outside while Itachi finished up.

She indicated the soft brown shoes sitting next to another larger pair. The healer told her, "You can use those for now. They might be a bit big for you, even with the bandages on your feet."

Slipping her feet into the soft leather, Sakura smiled, "These are great. Thanks."

When Itachi stepped out onto the porch, Lady Floriel gestured, "Let us go then."

"Where's Haldir?" Sakura inquired, noticing that the green-haired shrine warrior was gone.

"He went on ahead."

"Oh," she replied, not knowing what else to say.

They moved slowly at first. Sakura took the time to really look around the village, noticing immediately the brilliantly colored houses. There were few people in the street, but the ones that were there, stared at them with curious eyes. Fortunately the looks sent their way wasn't unfriendly.

Floriel led them to the outskirts of the village, and up a small partially enclosed path that inclined up a hill nested amongst the trees. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura caught sight of a blue bird flitting by.

This place was beautiful, a part of her yearned for something she could never have. When they arrived, they melted into the small crowd. Immediately Sakura's eyes were drawn to Harken. She could only wonder how the Guardian felt attending such an event.

Sakura stood leaning her hip against Itachi's, using him as support. She glanced to the side, surveying the silent Guardian, wondering how she felt about all of this. The young shaman lifted her chin, and let her eyes wander her surroundings.

The crisp air was refreshing, as was the greenery surrounding them. They stood solemnly in the center of an opening, surrounded by oaks and ash trees. Proud sentinels that would forever overlook this strange grave.

Sakura was a bit surprised that there weren't more Nuwan in attendance. It was the village elder Mirdan, Lady Floriel, Tyoril, Haldir, and a little over of a dozen others that she hadn't been introduced to yet.

When Mirdan stepped to the empty grave with the green silk encasing the cat's body, Sakura felt a lump tighten in her chest and her throat. Common sense told her, Hana was standing nearby. However, it didn't lessen the feeling of sadness that she felt.

The elder spoke words of respect. It was in the Nuwan language, so she had no idea what he was really saying, but she knew them for what they were. There were some things that really didn't need a translation. Several others came forward to speak. The lyrical sound of the Nuwan language, seemed to meld and flow together. The soft vowels, and slightly slurred consonants was strangely enough, almost melodic.

When Mirdan turned to her, she shook her head politely. There was so much she could say and yet, she wasn't quite sure how to voice the emotions she felt.

He lifted his voice in a final chant, that even Harken joined in. Sakura and Itachi remained silent.

Finally, he had the precious bundle lowered into the rectangular hole, seemingly carved into the earth.

It was then a thought came to her. She knew that it would seem odd to those around her but she didn't care. Just as a blue-haired Nuwan lifted his staff to call the earth to cover the small grave, Sakura lurched forward, stumbling slightly. Hoarsely, she called out, "Would you wait?"

He stopped immediately, his arms still halfway raised. He glanced over at the elder in askance. Mirdan paused, his mouth working as he mulled over her sudden actions, but then he relented to her request with a minute dip of his wrinkled chin.

Itachi glanced down at his wife, when she lay a hand on his arm in gentle askance. He arched a brow when she gestured silently at the kunai in the holster on his upper thigh. He was about to refuse her request, but at the poignant expression on her face he reached down and pulled the blade from its clasp. He lay it in her palm, and for a moment their eyes met. He wondered for a split second, if he hadn't made a mistake.

She pivoted on her heel, moving away from him. He watched as she staggered towards the grave. Her body was trembling, he noticed with concern. Itachi was about to move towards her but, he stopped when she brought a hand to the base of her shoulders in a swift graceful sweep. She quickly gathered her fine roseate strands of hair. Itachi's eyes widened when she ran the blade unceremoniously through the tresses in a jagged uneven line.

A wave of gasps went through the crowd of Nuwan.

Sakura paid them no mind as she knelt. She took apart of the bandage that encased her ankle, and swiftly ripped a small tattered piece. She quickly bound the cut hair together, and dropped it next to the encased body. It was the least she could do. Even if she didn't agree with the past, or the lies, she knew Harken had done her best to ensure a better future for everyone. The Guardian had sacrificed so much. Sakura felt it was only right that she showed the depth of her true respect to Hana.

She knew that the Nuwan around her probably wouldn't understand the gesture. She staggered to her feet, and immediately green eyes sought yellow.

The small, almost invisible smile on Harken's face caused the corners of Sakura's lips to turn up slightly as well.

Before anyone could speak, Harken moved towards the young shaman and gently grasped her shoulder. Her voice was low, and slightly broken, "I am honored."

Sakura ducked her head, no longer able to conceal the tide of emotion roiling inside her.

She moved towards her husband, and wordlessly handed him back the kunai. She snuck a peek at him, but when there was no recrimination for her actions in his thought-laden gaze, she felt relieved by his silent approval.

He understood. Sakura realized with a start.

She reached for his hand, and before he could react to her touch, she laced her fingers through his and squeezed. Her heart fluttered when he returned the gesture.

The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur. After the Nuwan started to filter back towards the village, Sakura turned to Itachi and announced quietly, "There's something that I wanted to talk to you about. I meant to tell you yesterday but… I guess I was asleep by the time you came back to the house."

"You were still exhausted. I didn't want to wake you."

Harken approached, her warm gaze on the couple. "You didn't have to come, Sakura. You are still recovering from…"

Sakura lifted a hand to stem the flow of words from the Guardian, "Of course, I had to. It's the least I could do."

The Guardian dipped her head in acknowledgement, "Thank you."

The shaman glanced at Itachi, "So, when do we go home?"

This startled the shinobi. He coughed to cover his surprise, "You wish to return already?"

"I know I'm in trouble when I get back, so I'm not _really_ in any hurry, but…" Sakura turned her face away, her eyes roaming over the remaining Nuwan who had stayed behind to chat with the elder, "it's where I belong."

"We will be staying until you heal," Itachi announced beside her, "And even then, we'll discuss how you feel at that time."

"What? You're not going to force me?" Sakura couldn't help but ask with a sarcastic note of humor.

He sent her a sharp look devoid of humor, "I am many things, but it can be said that I learn quickly."

Harken chuckled at the sour expression on Itachi's face. Sakura didn't know the meaning of obey, and for that, the Guardian was proud of her. It was because of her unrelenting nature that Harken had made it back to her true body, and the village hadn't been destroyed by the Bijuu's wrath in the name of balance.

"There are things that I have to face back home anyway. I won't be surprised if they toss me in jail, and throw away the key after all of this," Sakura smirked at her husband.

Itachi shook his head, "Uzumaki-sama is not an unreasonable man, but you will be expected to speak before the council certainly. Konoha's and most likely the Uchiha's."

Sakura rolled her eyes, a groan escaping her, "Do I have to? Seriously?"

"You are also required to speak before Mirdan here as well," Harken suddenly announced, "I haven't explained as of yet, why you have appeared here, nor why I revealed the way to Helath to you after my sworn oath to the head of one of the major Nuwan clans."

Sakura's desire to tease Itachi's completely drained from her.

Itachi sent Harken a sharp, assessing look and then averted his gaze in Sakura's direction. The inquiring light in his eye, piercing through them.

"So do you want to tell him, or should I tell him?" Sakura asked, shrugging at Harken.

The Guardian's light yellow eyes rolled upwards, and then, "I suppose, I can tell him while we make our way back to the village."

Sakura hobbled in front of them slowly, listening to Harken's melodic, and almost entrancing voice as she gave Itachi the short version of what was revealed to Sakura yesterday.

"So… we have nine questionably powerful Bijuus who are angry about something we personally had no hand in making," Itachi summarized with a frown tugging at the corner of his lips.

Sakura's head drooped, and she shook her head her eyes pointed at her feet. She added to Harken's explanation, "That's pretty much the gist of it. I don't know what's going to happen when we return home," she paused and then continued, "It's possible they may decide to come after me again for some reason or another. Or, they won't act on whatever they are planning to do in our lifetime. They are beings who are practically immortal. It's really hard to say."

"Is this why you are willing to return?" Itachi realized that she probably felt like everything that happened was her fault. Sakura wasn't a person who took responsibility lightly. It didn't matter that, she had no choice in any of it. He knew her far too well. She wouldn't think of it that way.

"That's part of it yes." She replied softly, refusing to glance over her shoulder at either Itachi or Harken.

"What's your other reasons?" Itachi spurred forward, and grasped her upper arm pulling her to a halt.

Sakura's hand clenched on the head of the cane, her knuckles turning white as he turned her gently to face him.

Harken cut in smoothly, "I'll go on ahead and wait for you at the village entrance."

Neither Itachi or Sakura glanced her way, as the Guardian glided by them gracefully, to allow them privacy. Harken had long ago learned to stay out of such things while she'd been locked in the cat's body.

Sakura lifted her chin almost defiantly, and met his eyes, her green eyes sparking, "If I chose to stay here… Would you stay with me?"

The Adam's apple in Itachi's throat bobbed tellingly. Her eyes narrowed.

He replied smoothly, "I admit I was rash in following you without knowing the outcome of doing so. However," he paused, onyx orbs studying her face, "given the chance to return, I would do so without hesitation because that is where my duty lies."

"Well then," Sakura told him, her voice growing hoarse with barely repressed emotion. The air around her became charged with energy. The wind cloaked her, swirling around her limbs erratically. She choked out, "There's your answer."

"My answer?"

"Idiot! How many times do I have to tell you that _I love you_, for you to understand," she swallowed when her throat constricted, "that home is _where you_ are."

"So, even with the choice to stay here with your people, you would still choose to return with me?" Itachi couldn't hardly believe it. He knew she loved him in her own way, but… he hadn't expected this.

"There are only two beings in this world that I consider to be my precious people. Hana… and _you." _Sakura reached up and splayed her fingers against his cheek, feeling the five o'clock shadow.

Itachi could almost hear the 'baka' she didn't voice the second time around.

"You say that so easily," Itachi admitted openly.

Her mouth tilted upwards, wobbling slightly with the effort, "I find it hard to believe that there was someone in the world, willing to put up with me. I don't understand why it's so difficult for you to accept that I mean what I say."

"There's much about me that you don't know. You tell me that you love me. It's naïve. You might come to hate me, when you discover the truth about the things I've done."

He was surprised when she didn't lose her temper with his stubborn refusal to accept what he couldn't quite comprehend.

Sakura merely shook her head, "I think it's you who doesn't understand yet. It doesn't work that way. I told you, I would wait until you were ready to tell me. If ever. Who I do know, is the Itachi you are now. And that's all that matters to me."

With that, Sakura removed her hand, and turned back towards the village. He opened his mouth to say something, but when she smiled at him, her eyes bright with emotion and warmth. The breeze around her danced through her hair, giving away the true state of her emotions. He realized that he had nothing more to say. To do so, would be to examine his dark past more deeply than he had in years, and he knew he wasn't willing to do that yet. In fact, Itachi wasn't sure if he'd ever be ready.

**-o-**

_And there you stand opened heart-opened doors_

_full of life with the world that's wanting more. _

_But I can see when the lights start to fade, _

_the day is done and your smile has gone away._

_-Trading Yesterday - May I_


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: **I'm certain just like the previous chapter… there will be issues posting. I found a work around the error 2 thing, if anyone needs help, just pm me and I'll be glad to help out.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 30**

Floriel clucked her tongue disapprovingly at the sight of the young shaman's horribly shorn hair. A small smile touched her face however, when the woman didn't even bat an eyelash at all the stares she received for their trouble.

It only showed the true depth of the shaman's strength of character. This one did what she thought was right, no matter the cost to herself. She had, like many others in this realm read the histories of the old clans that had stayed behind in the musty library that contained the account of the Nuwan history. The Haruno clan had truly believed that they were doing the right thing by guarding what had been started, even at the cost to the Nuwan themselves. Protecting future generations for all time, the Haruno clan leader had said.

They had truly become a divided people at the end of the blood wars.

Here, striding with steps full of purpose in front of her, was the result of the broken clan's choice. Even though the young woman didn't realize it herself yet, Floriel could see it in her as clear as day. Sakura Haruno was the epitome of all that the Haruno clan had stood for, even a thousand years later. But, on _her _own terms.

A rueful smile bloomed on the old woman's face.

Ahead of the healer, Sakura walked beside Itachi, her face a mask of apprehension. Why did she always end up in situations like this one? Glancing to the side at Itachi, she realized that he too, wasn't as calm as he appeared to be. She knew him well enough not to look at his face for signs of what he was really feeling. His taunt shoulders, and his stiff gait, gave it all away.

Not that she could blame him. She could only wish to achieve even half of his nearly flawless composure.

In her mind she was going over what she could say, what she should say. It was like Ibiki Morino all over again, just not _that_ creepy.

When the arrived in the village center, a pair of shrine warriors greeted them in cool tones. With their hunter green and dark gray hoods pulled over, Sakura couldn't quite see their faces. They were led up into the beige, brick and mortar building, with words titled over the doorway that Sakura couldn't understand.

It was the least colorful structure in all the village.

The dim room inside ensconced in shadow, smelled oddly stale but not unpleasant. The scent of old oil caused her nostrils to flare slightly. One of the shrine warriors lit the lamps, and when light flooded the room, her eyes widened.

Bookcase upon bookcase lined the faded red carpets. Was this a library? Memories of the forbidden library flickered faintly at the edge of her mind. A part of her realized that she had stepped into a place that contained the memories of the Nuwan. It almost made her soul ache.

Mirdan stepped through the veil of shadow, his somber gaze meeting Sakura's. He beckoned, "Come. We'll convene in the hall in the back."

Sakura's eyes darted to Itachi, wondering if he should even be here.

Mirdan caught her expression and smiled warmly, "It is fine, child. He may attend. There is much we wish to discuss with him, as well."

Itachi's eyebrows winged down together at that announcement, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Before she could stop herself, her hand shot out and found his, giving it a quick squeeze. Sakura snatched her appendage back before he could reciprocate. The softness of the carpet gave way to hardwood floors, when they arrived in the next room.

Her eyes widened at the breadth of the space. Large pillars were posted along the outer edge, standing like silent sentinels next to the large oak-like table space, inhabited by others already waiting for them. Even amongst her own people, it seemed that they convened in council.

She frowned. Already, she had a bad feeling. Things usually didn't turn out so well between her and council members. Green eyes brightened slightly, when she caught sight of Harken standing at the other end of the room. When she saw Sakura, she started towards their small group.

Floriel moved past them, and took her post next to Mirdan's empty seat.

Sakura did a quick head count. There were five others, two of which were the shrine warriors that had accompanied them. They pulled back their hoods, and one was Tyoril, the other next to him, was someone she hadn't met yet. It was a female shrine warrior. A woman with hair as crimson as freshly spilt blood. Her dark wine colored eyes were just as chilling, and sharp, like the edge of a finely sharpened blade by the greatest of masters. Sakura didn't know why, but she liked the woman with a gaze as intense as a falcon's already. Perhaps it was because there was no subterfuge about her, she was as she appeared to be. A warrior.

The final Nuwan had dark forest green hair, and eyes, just like Haldir's. She remembered his comment yesterday about green eyes, and realized that this final person must be related to Haldir. He looked older, she surmised that he might be an uncle or cousin.

Her rambling thoughts were interrupted when Mirdan stepped up to the dais, and took his seat, next to the others.

He cleared his throat, his watery gray eyes surveying them piercingly, but not unkindly. He started, "For those who haven't met this newcomer, she is Sakura of the Haruno clan, and wife to Itachi, the young man next to her." He stretched his wrinkled palm in their direction, indicating each one with a graceful flourish, "They arrived three nights past, in search of a way to save Harken, before her ki'a fled her borrowed vessal."

At the end of his introduction, each stood next to him one at a time and introduced themselves, even if they had already met.

Floriel stood to feet and announced crisply, "I am Floriel, of the Kinai clan."

Tyoril rose as the old woman sat back down, "Tyoril, son of the Hanta clan, Gatekeepers since the dawn of Helath's first sunrise."

The hard-faced redhead came to her feet before Tyoril had a chance to sit down, "Meesha, daughter of the Hogosha clan, Protectors of the Way." She was every inch, the shrine warrior. Sakura met her gaze head on and couldn't help but smile. Meesha's hard mask cracked slightly under the unusual reaction, and Sakura could see the slight bemusement in the other woman's eyes.

Finally, the final member came to rest on his heels, "Valkir, head of the Taiki clan."

Sakura wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, so she merely inclined her head politely, since she'd already been introduced.

Mirdan gestured towards the trio standing before the Nuwan council, "We are not here to judge you in any way, we only wish to know the events that have taken place that brought you here."

Sakura's mouth twisted into a caricature of a smile, it was sad, and uncertain. She tilted her head to the side and surveyed them, one by one, "I think, for you all to understand, I'm going to have to start at the beginning… but that's going to take awhile."

"Step forward and speak your heart," Meesha's feminine, but deep voice beckoned her.

Lacing her fingers together, she sent Itachi one last look before stepping forward. Even he had an air of curiosity about him. He knew a lot about her, but he didn't know everything, not really.

Taking a deep breath, she did as she was bade. She spoke her heart. Of the loneliness, and the segregation as a child after her parents' untimely and mysterious deaths. The council's strict orders for her to keep what little she did know a secret, her awakening as a shaman and the great lies that born everything as she knew it.

How, Ixion a village with ancient roots to the Nuwan people, aligned themselves with the Konoha Alliance because the borders of Fire Country had become resolute. Her arranged marriage, that allowed her to remain as she was.

For the first time, she verbalized her first run in with the Kyuubi and Shukaku, her kidnapping, and her escape because of Shukaku's sudden whim.

The articulation from the young shaman ebbed and flowed with all the frustration, anger, and the sadness that had tormented her from the moment she had learned of her parents' demise. She even told them of her inquisition after she made it home, and the storm of emotions to follow.

Finally, she told of the Bijuu coming for her in Konoha during the middle of a festival, and the choice she'd been given. The decision she made. Ignoring their gasps, she described the Bijuu's descent back to the mortal realm. Her persecution and the attempt to keep her imprisoned in the hospital, and her escape with Harken in tow with no real knowledge of how to find Helath.

She ended with a hoarse, "… and the rest you know."

Itachi remained silent throughout. There had been many things he had known, but just as much he hadn't. He also knew there was much she hadn't said, but it was enough. The council members were looking at his wife with moist eyes. Even he, as hardened as he was, had felt his throat constrict during her explanation of the events pertaining to the Bijuu's arrival in the village.

She had risked her life to protect everyone at the cost of herself.

Her love for him and for Hana, had been bare for all to see.

A part of him felt humbled by it all. He had always believed, just like his kin, that emotions made a person weak. But, that was never it. Not at all. It was what one did with those emotions that divided the weak from the strong. It seemed that the Uzumakis' had, had it right all along.

Itachi knew right then, he would do whatever it took to protect her.

Meesha was the first to speak, "It was a long journey for you to make, but you are here now. After this, what is it that you plan to do?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is that I will return home soon. I do not belong here."

Mirdan interjected, "That's ridiculous. You are Nuwan, you will always have a home here amongst your kin."

"But I'm not like any of you," Sakura shook her head vehemently.

Valkir crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, the wood squeaked in protest at the movement, "Oh, and how so?"

"I _choose _my family. I have no knowledge of this culture and I'm not a coward," Sakura returned his hard stare with one of her own, "I don't choose to dwell on what happened in the past. Those peoples' choices have nothing to do with me. All that crap went down over a thousand years ago, is just that. I don't hate the shinobi, I don't hate the Guardians, nor do I hate the Bijuu… even with everything that's happened. I'm not going to lie, the things they do piss me off, but I refuse to whine about something that I didn't have a part in."

She realized by the miffed looks she was getting, her last speech didn't go over too well.

She could see they all wanted to say something to her, but before the could, Floriel threw back her head and laughed. Several pairs of shocked eyes snapped in her direction. When she finally sobered, she told Sakura, "I've been thinking that for years!

The other council members excluding Meesha gasped.

The shrine warrior female, nodded her head in assent, "I understand completely where you are coming from Lady Floriel. We've sat idle, hidden in this land for a thousand years, while the clans on the other side faced the Bijuu and were slaughtered for their choice to do what they believed what was right. The people on this side, didn't follow through with what was started. I can understand the people's hesitance after the Great Sacrifice and sealing, but a thousand years is too long to cower."

Mirdan glared at the two females, "You speak nonsense! It is our people's way. We don't desire to partake in violence. We were given this land by Lady Harken, Lady Melethe, and Lord Huror."

"I do not think we were meant to exist here for eternity. This is a realm that exists with the spirits," Lady Floriel shook her head, disagreeing with the elder. Lavender eyes sought out Lady Harken in askance.

Even though the warriors couldn't hear Harken, they immediately quieted when the shamans quieted to listen to what she had to say, for each sentence she spoke, Lady Floriel immediately translated out loud for them.

"When everything occurred during those dark days, we ourselves were uncertain of what this place was to become. I had no plan, other than I wanted to give penance to the Nuwan people for the Great Guardian's actions. In this, Melethe and Huror were one with me and this decision. I would never demand that the Nuwan leave this place until they are ready to rejoin the realm of the living," Harken was earnest, as she strode forward to face the Nuwan council.

Sakura could see the love and devotion to the Nuwan on Harken's face. The Guardian truly loved these people, but she could see that they did not love Harken, as she herself loved Harken.

"Hana," she spoke the Guardian's name. Or rather, the name she had always known her as.

The Guardian turned, her expression softening when she faced Sakura. She tilted her head to the side in query.

"Stop beating yourself up over it already!" She ignored the wide-eyed looks from everyone, excluding Itachi. He just watched his wife with a hooded, and knowing gaze. He was used to her outbursts.

"Wh-what do you mean to…"

"Hana, for fuck's sake." Sakura flinched on the inside, realizing that she took that curse from Shukaku. She continued anyway, her arms splayed out, "It's been a thousand years, like Meesha said. All those things can't be changed. You should know that better than anyone. All right," she amended when Harken moved to speak again, "so you made bad decisions. I screw up every day, but I choose not to dwell on it, because life is too short to worry about it. You obviously are immortal so that doesn't necessarily pertain to you… but," Sakura wagged a finger at Hana, "you're just like the rest of us. You have a stake in the future, so just like us, you have choices to make. Balance is just a fancy word for it."

Harken beamed down at her, her light yellow eyes alight with an emotion Sakura couldn't quite read. She moved forward, and wrapped her arms around the young woman.

Itachi watched the pair with a smile threatening to surface. Suddenly, a thought hit him as he watched the council watched on with their mouths hanging open.

He reached up and tugged the green tie from his hair. Rivulets of raven tresses fell like an ink spill down his broad shoulders, as he moved towards his wife and the Guardian. Harken looked up when he approached.

"I have yet to understand what this green ribbon is. We call it a green ribbon, but it is not. I'm able to understand you, when they can't, but they should," he held it out in his hand for her to look at, his dark eyes darting between the two females with his usual impenetrable gaze.

"What are you…?" Sakura started to ask but grew quiet when Itachi tied the gift she gave him around Harken's wrist.

"I don't believe it is as you say it is," Itachi took a step back and looked Harken right in the eye. He shook his head, "Your explanation doesn't add up, nor has it ever made sense to me. These people have always had their hearts open to the Guardians. They adore _you…_ at least. Do they not? Have you ever realized that it might be the other way around? That it was the Guardians' hearts that were closed to the people?"

Harken's eyes widened substantially, and stared blankly at the ribbon that he'd given her. What he said, made complete sense. In all her arrogance, no, all of the Guardians, they assumed that the other races on the planet were not as great. So, the fault of the lack of communication must lie with the humans.

It was like something inside her clicked into place. A piece that had always been missing. It had taken her a thousand years living with humans, for her to understand. And, from someone without an ounce of Nuwan blood in his veins.

Golden tears brimmed in her eyes, and spilled down her cheeks.

"You're right, Itachi. The answer was so simple, and yet so far from a Guardian's reach or understanding. I've been self-righteous in my thoughts," Harken reached over and before Itachi could protest, pulled him against her in a warm hug.

"You insufferable human male! And here I always thought you weren't good enough for my Sakura," she whispered under her breath, loud enough for only him to hear.

Feeling uncomfortable at the blatant displays of emotion, he stood stock still out of respect but didn't move beyond that. It was then, that he realized that he had understood her without wearing the ribbon. He really had been sure what would happen when he gave it to her.

Releasing him, she backed away as if reading his mind. She elucidated softly, "The ribbon, is really just a symbol of what should have always been. I thank you for such a precious gift."

Harken turned to the shrine warriors gaping openly at her, "It seems that all along it was never the people. Instead it was simply because the Guardians' kept their hearts closed, we were unable to speak to you."

Floriel looked at the shinobi with a thoughtful expression, but didn't utter her thoughts out loud.

However, Meesha was the first to react, "This just proves that the times have changed. It's time for our people to stand up and be what we were always meant to be. Apart of the rest of the world."

"B-but Lady Hogosha," Mirdan jumped to his feet in protest.

"We should not jump to conclusions so quickly. I think it will be best to proceed slowly. It's not a change we can make overnight," Lord Taiki added into the foray, "We still have two sealed Guardians here, and as long as they remain so, so shall our people be."

Tyoril slowly came to his feet, and came towards the trio standing in the center of the room, his eyes glued on Harken's form. He smiled at her, "For so long I wanted to be able to speak with you. Countless times, I've watched you come and go between realms."

"I can only apologize for my lack of insight, Gatekeeper."

He shook his head, navy eyes full of brimming emotion. He was so overcome, he could not speak.

Mirdan raised a wrinkled palm, and immediately the room stilled. He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry Lady Haruno. I didn't foresee all this chaos."

Sakura chuckled in response, "I tend to do that at council meetings."

The old man gave her a strange look.

Itachi merely shook his head. There was never a more truthful statement spoken from his wife's mouth.

"Perhaps, when Lady Haruno returns to her home, we should send some emissaries with her?" Lady Floriel, abruptly suggested.

Itachi stiffened. Now that, wasn't something he had expected to hear. Kami, the Hokage was going to have his ass for this, by the time it was all said and done.

Sakura sensing Itachi's unease, shook her head, "That's not a good idea. You'd be putting yourself in the middle of a village full of shinobi. They are not people who would take well to you guys just suddenly showing up out of nowhere."

Harken smiled then. She turned to Tyoril, "Do you think that, you would be able to send an object back through the portal?"

"Of course. That's easy," Tyoril nodded quickly.

Lord Taiki arched a green brow down at all of them, "I see that, the idea of taking things slow doesn't appeal to you younger ones."

"If I slow down anymore, I'll be dead," Lady Floriel snapped back, not appreciating the verbal jab at her idea.

"If they make that decision, do you think sending a letter ahead of time, with the exact time of your planned return and a mention that you might have others with you would suffice?" Lady Harken asked Itachi coolly.

Itachi crossed his arms, and shut his eyes. He thought it over and finally dipped his head in assent, "It's likely that they have powerful shinobi guarding the cave entrance, and I may not be able to stop the attacks if they decide to launch one when they realize that there's more people than just Sakura and I, coming out. It would be better to send a query and wait for a response."

"Without another Nuwan on the other side, it wouldn't be possible to wait for a response, because no one would be able to send it back."

"Well, that's not entirely true. Utatane should be able to," Harken mused thoughtfully.

"I thought you said that Lady Haruno was the last Nuwan on the other side?" Mirdan sent an accusing look at Sakura and Itachi.

"I'm the last full-blooded Nuwan, but my great aunt is… I guess half," Sakura explained quickly, "But it's not a good idea. She doesn't want anything to do with her Nuwan side anyway. It's likely, she'll refuse to do it."

Itachi intervened when he seen the discussion was going no where, "You heard Sakura's account of what happened concerning the Bijuu's attack on the village. They will be leery of any strangers. If you decide to send emissaries with us on our return, then we'll have to make do with just sending a notice."

"We'll have to discuss this further. How long until you return?" Mirdan inquired.

Sakura replied, "I'm almost healed up. Not too much longer. Perhaps, some time in the next couple days or so."

"Before you return home, I would like you both to accompany me to where the Guardians of Courage and Love are sealed. I believe that it's time for them to wake up once again, and take part," Harken sent a questioning look in their direction.

"I don't see why we couldn't," Sakura nodded in agreement, "I'd like to see more of Helath anyway before we leave."

Harken waited for Itachi to respond. He inclined his head slightly, giving his assent. He turned assessing eyes towards the council, "How long do you believe it will take for you to arrive to a conclusion?"

"If you could give us to the end of this week. Three more days?" Lord Taiki eyed the shinobi, his expression inscrutable.

Itachi turned to Tyoril, "If I prepare the letter, would you send it immediately? The sooner they hear word of our return, the better it will be. I will mention the possibility of having emissaries with us, so either way, my leader can make proper preparations."

The Gatekeeper immediately complied, "Of course. Whenever you're ready."

"Though, I must ask as to why you would want to do so," Itachi couldn't help but query. He had to wonder what would compel such strong feelings in all of them.

"I cannot speak for everyone else, but it doesn't sit right with me to send Lady Haruno back alone, knowing full well that it's likely that the Bijuu will come for her again. We knew all along that the Kyuubi and Shukaku were enraged by the actions of our predecessors. I'm not the Nuwan of the past. If they want to bring battle to the Nuwan," Meesha looked him dead in the eye, her body rigid with an innate pride Itachi had often seen in Sakura, "Then I'll be damned if I stand idly by, while she continues to fight this war alone. They say it ended a thousand years ago, but that's apparently not the case. The fact that she is the last, speaks for itself."

Tyoril nodded his agreement before the elders could cut in, "Exactly. The past stands as a testament. An example, giving us a chance to learn from the mistakes made. The Nuwan didn't wish to fight when the world needed their protection the most, and although like them, I do not desire needless bloodshed - I agree with Lady Hogosha. It's not something that we should let Lady Haruno bear alone any longer."

Sakura shook her head, "I don't think you understand. Honestly, I feel sorry for the Bijuu."

When everyone turned to look at her again, their eyes rounded with surprise at the admission, her expression downcast, "They are just as much a victim in all of this as we are. I'm not siding with the Kyuubi or Shukaku. It's because of them, that my parents died. But at the same time, it's also the Guardians' fault my parents are gone."

Valkir snorted, and muttered angry words under his breath.

Sakura ignored him and continued, "My parents chose to protect the shrine's location over their own life, as well, so in a way… a part of me blames them for leaving me alone. In the end, the two remaining Bijuu were only trying to find a way to release their siblings. A few of which were innocent. You're right. I know without a doubt they'll come after me again, for some reason or another."

At that, Sakura gave a mental shrug. What the hell was she supposed to do about it? It's not like she could hide from them anymore. The shinobi could offer her no real protection against them, and she wouldn't want them to either. She had seen what happened when they tried to protect her. They were fortunate that the Kyuubi and Shukaku hadn't been serious.

She started when Itachi put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He knew she was right, he just didn't know what to do about it.

"Either way, we have much to discuss," Lord Taiki interrupted the silence, "We will convene for now. Send your letter to your people, Itachi. In three days, you'll receive your final answer before you return home. For now, enjoy the hospitality of your people Lady Haruno. Lady Hogosha will escort you to the house that you may use during your stay here."

Sakura bowed deeply, "Thank you."

It was with that, Harken moved to speak with the council further, and Lady Hogosha moved towards them in a graceful glide that would make any shinobi jealous. She turned and gestured to the door, "Please follow me."

Itachi and Sakura exchanged a glance, and it was with a grateful release of breath, that they followed her outside. The intensity of that meeting was just the beginning of what was to come, and they both knew it.

**-o-**

**Several Hours Later**

Sai sat up on the tree branch with a leg dangling idly over the side. The shifts should be changing soon, he didn't quite know what boredom was exactly, but he was certain that this was probably as close to it as he could get.

His dark eyes widening only slightly when one of his ink bats flew towards him, with a curious looking envelope clutched in its claws. He took it from the bat, and as soon as it touched his fingers, the bat disappeared with a telltale poof. Sai signaled to Shikamaru.

They had just been about to switch watch again for the umpteenth time in three days.

Wordlessly Sai handed the envelope with the strange red wax seal to the strategist.

Shikamaru took the proffered message in his hand, turning it over, his eyes widening when he recognized the ANBU Captain's distinctive handwriting. The letter was addressed to the Hokage.

"Where did you find this?"

"It just appeared on the altar a few minutes ago," Sai explained quietly.

Shikamaru cleared his throat, "Stay here with this squad, just for a bit longer. I'm going to have to take this to the Hokage immediately."

Sai merely shrugged, and then nodded his understanding. He immediately returned to his post.

Even as lazy as he could be, Shikamaru moved with all haste in the direction of Konoha. He could have let Sai take the message, but he wanted to know that they were all right. He wondered idly how Itachi managed to deliver the message through the strange portal. He didn't care what anyone else thought. He knew it, for what it was. The good news was, that there was a way for them to return.

When he arrived in the Hokage's office, the Fourth was speaking candidly with Hatake, Kakashi. Shikamaru hated to interrupt but he knew that the Hokage would want this information right away before all else.

They stopped talking the moment he came within a few feet of the window. He slid the pane open, and crouched on the sill. Shikamaru announced immediately, "I apologize for barging in on you, however, this just appeared on the altar in the cave ten minutes ago."

Minato was in front of him faster than an eye blink.

Shikamaru held out the letter, and watched Hokage with some amusement, as he realized that it took a lot of Minato-sama's self restraint not to snatch the letter from the strategist's outstretched hand.

Minato gazed at his name on the front of the envelope. It was with deft fingers he broke the seal and unfolded it.

Both Kakashi and Shikamaru watched the varying expressions pass over the Hokage's face. Some of which, made them slightly nervous.

Shikamaru moved from his perch on the sill, and stepped into the room. Shutting the window behind him, he went to stand next to Kakashi.

When Minato looked up at them, there was a small light of humor in his eye. He chuckled, "This letter is very much like the Uchiha. It's written more like a report to be filed than anything else."

Swallowing hard, Shikamaru braved the Hokage's wrath. He asked tentatively, "Are they all right?"

"Here, read it for yourself. You'll have much to do, so it's better you realize the gravity of the situation sooner than later."

Shikamaru took the letter from the Hokage's outstretched hand cautiously. He had a bad feeling already.

He quickly scanned the contents. At first he was relieved that Sakura was indeed okay, and then his face drained of all color.

Brown eyes shot up to meet blue, "Emissaries might be accompanying them? What emissaries? Is Itachi telling us that there's people on the other side?"

"So, the little minx escapes imprisonment, once again," Kakashi chuckled under his breath, and shook his head.

"You only read half of it. Finish the letter, and then we'll talk," Minato waved an impatient hand at the letter.

Shikamaru complied, albeit a bit more warily this time.

It was all mind boggling, even for him. By the time he finished, he braced a hand on the desk and looked at the Hokage, "We only have three days to make preparations. We have no idea what these people are capable of either. He says they aren't hostile but why would they want to come here?"

"I do not know the reasons behind it, but Uchiha-sama made it a point to assure us that they are not coming with unfriendly intentions. We will not attack them, unless they provoke us otherwise." He folded his arms against his chest and added, "We have no idea how many people are on the other side. It would be wise on our part, not to be rash. Kakashi's right, we won't be able to arrest Sakura immediately upon sight like planned. It could be seen as an act of aggression."

"So what do you want me to do?" Shikamaru was already dreading the answer.

"I want you to not only prepare for their arrival. I also want you to make certain that this information does _not _leak to the wrong ears. We've already got a leak somewhere. Only your team, Neji's, and Kakashi's teams will be privy to this knowledge, until I deem otherwise. Do you understand?" Minato took the letter up off his desk, folded it, and placed it inside one of his many pockets.

Shikamaru nodded, and saluted, "Yes sir."

"Good."

The Hokage didn't have to spell it out for Shikamaru to know he was dismissed. After he exited the tower, he grumbled under his breath, "Troublesome woman."


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: **Heya peoples. On the 27'th of June, it'll be two years since I first posted this fic. I want to take this moment to say, thank you to those who have followed this story from the beginning, (You all, have the patience of a saint. I'd like to say I don't know how you do it, but ya know…) And welcome to the newcomers.

**Disclaimer: **There are things I own in my life, but alas, Naruto is not one of them. I just borrow the characters from time to time. =)

**Chapter 31**

Itachi furtively surveyed the two females ahead of him. Sakura's cheerfulness bled into her bouncy steps. Even with the slight limp, she was spry and her movements were exaggerated with their picnic basket in tow, reminding him of an excited child. He couldn't quite hear the conversation ahead of him, but he already knew Sakura well enough to know that she was likely firing a rapid succession of questions at the Guardian ahead of him.

Harken's expression held a measure of patience, but her light yellow eyes twinkled with merriment and affection.

Once in a while the pair would glance back at him, but he knew that they were doing their best to enjoy their limited time together. The subject had never passed in conversation between them as far as he knew, but despite their appearance, there was an underlying sadness that simmered beneath the surface.

He noticed the small signs, whenever one thought the other wasn't watching. He'd catch glimpses of grief as they glanced to the side, but he held his tongue in check. It was a private matter, and even if he wished to invade, he really didn't know what he could say in this instance that would alleviate the unspoken tension.

Staring off into the distance, he realized that they had quite a ways to go if they had to go to one end of the valley to the other. Even now, he wondered what they could accomplish, visiting a couple of sleeping statues. Releasing a small breath, he stared off into the distance, his dark eyes spanning across the forest surrounding them.

He glanced back when Sakura suddenly asked him, "Did you hear that?'

Itachi shook his head.

"Harken just said, that there are other villages here."

Onyx orbs narrowed on the Guardian, his sharp gaze speaking louder than words. He acutely remembered the reception they received from the Gatekeeper.

Harken elaborated with a small smile, "Mirdan's Village. The one you arrived in protects both the history and the customs of the Nuwan. There are others that specialize in farming, and another to the southwest that weaves. You do need not need to concern yourself, however. We won't visit any, unless Sakura wishes it."

"How far is it? Will we manage to visit both statues in three days?" Itachi inquired curtly. He surely hoped so, because the last thing he needed was for them to show up later than what Konoha expected.

The Guardian arched an umber brow at the shinobi, a corner of her lip lifting in a half smile, "With whom do you think you travel? I took part in creating this realm, in case you've forgotten. We can be anywhere we need to be, when we want to be."

"I'm just being humored," Sakura added, with a minute shrug. She made a sweeping gesture to the natural beauty spread out before them like a blanketing canvas. She bit her lip, "We'll be returning to Konoha soon. As much as I would love to take the time to learn about the Nuwan culture, I find that I feel at peace out here in the open air. She's allowing me to take the time to stop and smell the flowers, as some would say."

Itachi nodded.

Sakura's eyes warmed slightly at his quiet acceptance.

Harken watched the interaction between the couple and felt reassured by the Itachi's acquiescence. They were beginning to trust each other. That alone made her feel better about the fact that she would soon have to watch them return to the mortal realms without her.

Light yellow orbs met understanding obsidian and held briefly.

He understood her, she realized with a start. She sent him a small smile before averting her gaze.

She announced to the pair, "We're heading east first." Lifting her arm, she halted and pointed beyond the bridge that arced over the river's edge, "This will take us to Lady Melethe's statue, the Guardian of Love."

Sakura turned, green orbs trailing past the aging wooden bridge and the trees beyond. Ignoring the dull ache in her calves, she closed her eyes, breathing in and out slowly. The whispers, she knew so well caressed her senses and grounded her into this moment. She knew - somehow, that this would be the most peace she would be allowed for a very long time. Perhaps, her life was just meant to be melting pot of chaos and confusion.

Opening her eyes, her face giving away her thoughts to the two who knew her best. Stepping out ahead once more, she glanced back over her shoulder, "Just a little while longer, if you two don't mind. We can stop soon and have the lunch that Lady Floriel packed for us, and then we can use your method of travel Hana, if you'd rather."

"Of course." The Guardian replied softly.

Sakura stopped in the middle of the bridge, and gripped the railing with her free hand to look over the side. She smiled when she caught sight of silver glimmers beneath the water's surface. She watched the fish dart down stream, for a few minutes, noting how clear the water actually was.

Stepping back, she pivoted on her heel, and started to walk once more in the direction Harken had pointed. After awhile they crested a hill, overlooking a small green meadow. In it, a small herd of deer grazed. Squirrels sitting on the smooth surface of the stones beneath the trees at the meadow's edge watched the strangers curiously for the length of a heartbeat before darting for cover.

The deer quickly followed suit and disappeared into the forest brush.

"Want to have lunch here?" Sakura asked, pointing to the circle of gray rocks in the center.

"Aa."

Harken merely nodded.

Sakura quickly settled on a flat stone and sat the borrowed basket down on the ground. Lifting the lid, she immediately grabbed a wrapped sandwich and nudged it towards her companions with the toe of her borrowed sandal.

Itachi followed suit, but Harken lifted a hand and declined politely, "In this form, I do not need physical sustenance."

"Will it hurt you to have one?" Sakura tilted her head to the side.

The Guardian shook her head, "No, but…"

"Then you should try it. Kami forbid that all you've had in life was tuna and cat food. This tastes like roast beef. It's pretty good," the shaman interrupted with a playful smirk, and pushed the basket closer to Harken.

A wry chuckle escaped the Guardian. She shook her head and then relented, "I suppose you're right."

Sakura waited until Harken bit into the sandwich and then grinned at her, "See? Isn't that better?"

Harken smiled playfully in response, and nodded, "Yes, but I cannot say that I'm surprised. Whenever I came through the portal to visit Helath, they fed me well."

The shaman reached for one of the small canteens and uncapped it. Taking a deep swig of water, she swallowed and chuckled, "Well I appreciate that you're at least humoring me. It makes me feel a bit less guilty over the whole cat food thing…"

Itachi watched the interaction between the two females while they lightly teased one another. The corners of his lips threatened to turn up into a smile. He shook his head, and swiftly finished off his own sandwich. He waited patiently for them to finish up before rising to his feet.

Sakura placed her wrappings and canteen back in the basket and smiled up at Itachi when she stood up.

Harken glanced at the shaman with a questioning look, "Do you wish to walk a bit longer…?"

Sakura paused a moment, thinking it over. She shook her head, "It's better if we just go where we need to be."

The Guardian nodded. She started to explain in a soft voice, "We're just going to take a quick trip through the in between. You both have experienced something similar before when I took you to meet the Elemental Lords. I believe Sakura, you also experienced this when Kyuubi and Shukaku took you away the first time."

Itachi and Sakura dipped their heads simultaneously indicating that they understood.

"Come," Harken made a come hither gesture before stepping forward, and suddenly slipping out of sight.

Sakura looked at her husband with a small smile, before following suit. Itachi hesitated a moment. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering for a moment about the strange direction his life had taken due to his wife, and strode to where he had last seen the Guardian, before taking another step of faith.

Itachi looked at his wife questioningly when he suddenly realized she was grinning at him. At the query in his expression, Sakura asked still smiling, "Doesn't this bring back memories?" She pointed first to the bright disc of the moon high in the purple skies, and then back to the rising sun blanketed in orange.

The dark oaks, and the emerald green hills were just the same as he remembered them. The softly blowing winds pushed and pulled against him, ebbing and tugging. Colorful strands of chakra wisps darted above and around them playfully. For the first time, he found it to be a pleasing sight.

"Aa." Was all he could think to say, as his eyes roamed over the foreign looking landscape.

"This isn't like the one that the Bijuu used, though," Sakura mused out loud. She started to stride towards Harken, when the Guardian paused to look back at them with an arched brow.

"It is not?" Itachi had never thought to inquire about the experience beyond what she had already told. Really, those small details hadn't seemed relevant enough to the situation to ask.

Sakura turned her face from his penetrating gaze. "No, it's…" Her voice faded as she struggled to find a word suitable for what she'd witnessed. Finally she found one to her liking and replied, "False." She looked back at him, and then raised her hand before pointing to the chakra wisps above them, "They weren't there. It was quiet. There was no wind. It wasn't caught between day and night, like it seems to be in here. It felt…" She trailed off again, before giving a visible shudder, "very cold."

"Here we are," Harken interrupted gently before Sakura was able to sink too deep into the memory. She reached forward and took the basket off of Sakura's arm. She gracefully gestured ahead, "Once we go through here, we'll be in Lady Melethe's territory. The statue will just be up the hill from where we exit. It's a bit of a hike, but you'll be able to get a good look at the valley below."

A shiver of excitement shot through Sakura. She'd never thought she'd get a chance to meet another Guardian so soon. Sakura and Itachi stepped next to Harken. With a look exchanged between them, and a nod from Harken, they stepped through as one.

The feeling of stepping through the in between never failed to send goose bumps up Sakura's arms, and this time was no different.

Green eyes widened perceptibly when the scenery shimmered into view before them. Unlike the pine forests and meadows of before, here instead, orchards of cherry and plum blossom trees in bloom speckled the brilliantly verdant hill cresting in front of her. The dirt path curved up and around the somewhat rocky terrain, as it was a bit too steep to just walk straight up. At least for Sakura. Her nostrils flared slightly at the cloyingly sweet scent. It should be too late in the season for the blossoms - but possibly, here in this place they always bloomed. Or perhaps even though it was late summer in Konoha, maybe it was spring here?

Itachi asked his wife coolly, interrupting her train of thought, "Do you think you'll be able to make it up the hill in your current condition?"

"Do I have a choice?" Sakura made a funny face at him before sending a thoughtful look in the direction of the trail. Now that she thought about it, it did look rather steep. But, she'd been through worse.

Sakura started when Itachi moved around her and then knelt down onto one knee. He ordered her abruptly in his infamous ANBU Captain's voice, "Come here. I'll carry you up."

She sputtered, her face turning three different shades of red, "I-It's okay. I'll manage, just fine."

He didn't react to her nervousness. Instead he sent her a blank look that spoke volumes. Immediately, she knew he wasn't going to relent on this. And from Harken's amused expression, Sakura knew she wasn't going to get any help from her.

Hesitantly she moved towards him. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gasped when he lifted her legs, and pulled her up into a piggyback ride. She buried her face against the nape of his neck, and let out a soft sigh when she breathed in his rainwater scent.

"You don't have to do this, you know?" Sakura whispered against him.

"Aa."

Her lower lip jutted out at the abruptness of his response. Ugh, and he thought she was stubborn. Next time he made a comment about her hardheadedness, she was going to tell him to go look in the damn mirror.

She made do with turning her head and looking off into the distance as they trekked upward. The valley below started to pan out before her with each bend. Soon, Sakura could make out the many farms below, and the groves of fruit trees, and the other crops which she assumed was likely to be rice fields. For her, it was a sight to see, because there was nothing like it near or around Konoha. They had always made trade agreements for the city's produce. But here, she realized, the people of course would have to sustain themselves in some way or another.

The afternoon breeze picked up around them and grew slightly cooler, the higher they went. She turned her head and glanced back at the hillside. Just as she thought, the blossoming trees remained the same even as the trees in the valley low seemed to be in different season. Perhaps, it was due to the Guardian of Love being so close by.

When they finally crested the hill, Sakura released her hold on Itachi as she gently set her down onto her feet. She was a bit surprised when she realized he hadn't even broken a sweat over carrying her. He probably used a little bit of chakra to carry her up the whole way, she surmised privately. Either that, or he was just very, very in shape. She settled on a mix of the two.

Sakura watched with fascination as Harken passed beneath the shadow of the massive weeping willow, an ageing whose branches extended, almost protectively over the statue set in the center.

Her first thoughts were; _an angel with wings_. Wordlessly, she moved closer to get a better look.

A woman with long hair, trailing over slender shoulders. Her bangs held back by a flower, matching the one held in her hands. Large wings extending upwards and curved inward as if guarding the precious, yet simple flower clasped between gentle fingers. Eyes were carved as shut, but the almost achingly kind and gentle expression on the Guardian of Love's face, tugged at Sakura's heartstrings.

Sakura breathed out, "She's beautiful."

Harken's cream hued orbs darted towards her with a small smile, "My sister is that and more." And then her countenance blanked as she turned back to the statue and closed her eyes, a light green glow encasing her form.

Itachi stepped beside Sakura and watched on with slight curiosity.

Suddenly, the glow around Harken disappeared. The Guardian stepped back with a thoughtful look. She sighed and shook her head with a recalcitrant look contorting her face, "She's being stubborn."

Sakura bit her lip, and looked up into the face of the gorgeous statue uncertainly. She glanced at Harken, "Well, I guess this is sort of a sudden visit."

"A thousand years, is not _sudden_," Harken grumbled under her breath. The Guardian shocked her human companions by going up to the statue and lightly knocking on the side of the stone cheek, "Come on, Melethe. It's time to wake up." She paused and then seemed to reply to a voice they couldn't hear, "I could care less if you don't want to. I don't think you should just leave all this to me. It's time to do your share too, you know?"

"Um," Sakura cut in, "I don't know if I should be the one saying this but…" she paused when Harken sent her a thoughtful glance. She swallowed when the Guardian didn't interrupt her. She returned her attention to the lovely statue, "I don't know you, and I don't know if you can hear me…"

"Oh, she can hear you," Harken mumbled irritably.

Sakura ignored that and went on, "Harken's right, you know. I know a bit about what happened, and I can't say that I understand the Guardian's choices completely, but you can't always look away from what hurts you." She shut her eyes and averted her face, knowing that the words were just as much to the Guardian as they were to herself, "I've been told it's too easy to run away. But personally, I find it pretty difficult. Especially when your village has been flooded with shinobi."

Itachi couldn't help himself. He smirked at the dry note filtering into his wife's voice. He knew Sakura would never let that one die for as long as she lived.

Harken just slowly shook her head, although a smile threatened to peek out.

Sakura waved her hand and shook her head, "I probably sound like some arrogant mortal, but I can't help but agree with Harken. Don't you think a thousand years is long enough?"

She glanced at Harken in askance, and she smiled back in response and then shook her head.

Sakura stepped back and went to turn away, when suddenly she felt the all too familiar tug deep in her soul. The only warning she got was the hard quake that shivered through her slender frame. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slumped forward. Itachi caught her around the waist before she hit the ground.

She found herself on the familiar turquoise dais. Straightening, she tilted her chin at an angle when she realized that she was in the presence of another. Lacing her arms over her chest, she asked quietly staring at the light blue flame at the other end, just on the edge of the platform, "Why did you bring me here Lady Melethe?"

A silvery voice, as delicate as the bells she had often wore around her wrists tinkled back at her, much similar to Harken's yet lighter in depth, "You came to speak to me first shaman. Did you not?"

Sighing, Sakura shook her head, "Lady Harken suggested we come to wake you from your sleep. I'm about to return home soon, and well, I don't know how much she's told you but we're probably going to need all the help we can get. I have nine angry Bijuu to face when I return. That's not to mention a village full of ticked off shinobi."

"You are rather forthright for one of your kind."

"Yeah, well. I've been called worse," Sakura chuckled lightly, and then continued, "So are you going to wake up and give us a hand? Or are you going to stay here with this statue? I didn't come to beg anything from you or ask for something you aren't willing to give."

Sakura watched as the blue flame slowly started to take on a feminine shape. Lady Melethe seemed to glide towards her, but Sakura stood still, waiting for the Guardian to respond. She really wasn't here to beg for help. She'd fought tooth and nail on her own already and her pride wouldn't allow her to behave so weakly.

Melethe halted in front her of, staring straight at her. For one who was supposed to be kind, she sure had a piercing stare, Sakura thought privately to herself. It was as if the Guardian was searching inside her for some sort of answer. Sakura wasn't really sure, what the Guardian of Love would want to hear from someone like her.

"I see." The Guardian murmured to herself and then, "I suppose, that it is time I rejoin the realm of the living."

She was about to respond when her eyes suddenly blinked and she found herself staring blearily up into Itachi's face. Sakura moved to sit up on her own, but it took several moments for her to ground herself back into reality. She frowned to herself, never had a Guardian been so abrupt with her before. Even the Great Guardians had never yanked her around so roughly. She would have thought the Guardian of Love to be a gentle sort of being. Oh well, hadn't she already learned that appearances could be deceiving?

Turning her head to the side, her eyes widened into large saucers when the statue's stone skin melted away, leaving behind soft pink and lavender hues. The Guardian's red eyes honed in on her immediately, her platinum white tresses nearly blinding. Her light pink skin almost seemed to glow in the morning sun. The tips of her fingers looked as if she'd just dipped them in a baby blue inkwell, so vivid was their color. The graceful female-like being practically floated off the concrete platform as light as a gazelle. Melethe glanced around herself, for several long moments. Her rubicund eyes seemed to peer beyond the horizon before her gaze finally came to rest on the odd trio standing in front of her.

Sakura quickly noticed that the wings were no where to be seen on Lady Melethe. Perhaps they had just been apart of the carving. She shook her head. No, that couldn't be right. The Guardian _was_ the statue. Or was it the other way around? She was drawn out of her strange reverie by Harken's voice.

"You didn't have to go and do that to Sakura," Harken crossed her arms tightly across her chest, somewhat resembling a miffed mother hen.

"Sakura?" Lady Melethe sent a confused look in her sibling's direction and then, "Oh you mean this shaman here. I apologize, but that's what happens when you come barging into someone else's realm, and so rudely wake them up. I could hardly make any sense of what you were talking about. What else was I to do but search for the answers elsewhere?" She sniffed daintily and then turned away from her agitated sibling.

So, it was as she thought. Lady Melethe _had _searched inside her for the answers.

Sakura couldn't help but glare back at the Guardian when she moved towards her gracefully, belying the rough way she had just tossed Sakura about in her own inner sanctum.

"I apologize for my bad manners, young one. I don't take well to be woken up and being accused of all sorts of things before I even know what's going on."

The shaman realized the Guardian had a good point. She finally relented with a nervous laugh, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so rude before knowing what was going on myself. I have a bad habit of doing that."

After several moments, Lady Melethe dipped her chin in understanding and acceptance. The Guardian's facial features softened into the kind visage that reflected the sweet countenance of the statue. She turned to her sibling, "Due to this young one here, I believe I understand why you've come to me. However," she turned back to the couple staring at her curiously, "my power does not lie in battle, but in that of healing and comfort. Neither of you are healers, so I'm uncertain as to what help you seek in me."

Sakura glanced back at Itachi and inquired softly, "Can you hear what she's talking about?"

"Aa."

Harken grinned at her sibling, "I see you caught on quickly, Melethe. That will make things easier."

"I must admit I was a bit shocked by the shaman's most recent memories, but it does make an odd sort of sense. It must work, if he, who is not of Nuwan blood can understand me so easily." Melethe returned her sister's smile, "So, you did come here for a specific reason?"

"Yes. They are returning to the mortal realm soon. Neither would be able to utilize your help very well, but there are humans on the other side that could possibly benefit from a small favor." Harken nodded and then added with a knowing smirk, "That is, if you're willing to give it."

"Those humans have no knowledge of our kind. Do you think it wise?" Melethe tilted her head to the side, her red orbs searching her sibling's face curiously.

"No, I have something more specific in mind."

Harken then sent Itachi a look that caused him to recoil on the inside. She apologized then, "This is not something I planned to interfere in, however, it was something I could not do for you, but Lady Melethe can."

A quiet look of understanding passed between the Guardians.

Sakura moved out of Itachi's arms and looked at him inquiringly, green eyes beseeching. The moment his visage grew cold and shut off, she knew that this was territory that he didn't appreciate anyone trespassing in. She swallowed hard and then made a quick decision. She directed her next words to the two Guardians, "Look. I can already see that you know something I don't. I understand how it feels to have my privacy invaded without being given a choice, so if you don't mind, I'll start walking back down the hill and you all can catch up whenever you finish with whatever it is you're going to do."

She sent Itachi a look of empathy that caused his hard mask to fracture slightly. Sakura could see the confusion starting to form in his beautifully, dark eyes. She looked into the depths of obsidian, the tone of her voice softened substantially when she spoke again, "I've told you once, and I'll tell you again." Gentle fingertips touched his cheek, as delicate as the tip of a dove's wing, "Only when _you _are ready."

She didn't bother to expound further. Sakura knew he would know what she meant by that.

Nodding at the pair of Guardians politely. Sakura ignored their startled expression and did exactly as just she said she would, she turned away and moved towards the dirt path that would take her back to the base of the hill.

She stopped when his fingers wrapped around the flesh of her upper arm, and smoothly tugged her back into the cradle of his embrace. He whispered again the crown of her head, "Thank you."

Her eyes burned. She placed her cheek against his chest, "You don't have to, you know?"

"I know."

Itachi released his hold on Sakura and with a look at the Guardians, he inquired, his usually smooth tenor cracking a bit, "If you'll allow me the time to explain properly." He hated to admit that it unnerved him that these beings already knew the truth.

"Of course," Melethe nodded, her gleaming red eyes coming to rest on the woman in his arms.

Sakura caught her lower lip between her teeth nervously, bruising the tender flesh. Itachi's thumb came to rest there, forcing her to relax and release it. She sucked in a calming breath.

"I had no plans to speak of this, unless it became much worse." He waited for her gaze to drift back up to his, "As you've learned recently my sharingan is a bit unusual. In fact, it's different from the others in the Uchiha clan. It is in fact, a forbidden art. We call it, Mangekyō."

Her brow furrowed at the sudden influx of information. She hadn't known what to expect, but the thought of the sharingan hadn't even come to mind at all. So, even the strange pinwheel shaped irises in his eyes had a name.

"The place you called Tsukuyomi," She would never forget that cold place, "That's a part of the Mangekyō?"

"Aa." He brushed a stray bang from her cheek, "It's an ability that any Uchiha can achieve, but it comes with a steep price." She opened her mouth to ask what he meant by that, but he continued to explain before she could get the words out, "And using it does not come without it's own cost. Mine is not all that bad yet because I choose to rarely use the Mangekyō, unless I find it absolutely necessary."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Sakura's emerald gaze searched his face, wondering absently if she'd be able to handle what he was about to admit.

"I will go blind if I continue to use the Mangekyō," Itachi finally admitted and then added quickly when he realized that Sakura was growing paler by the second, "However, because we have excellent doctors, like Tsunade-sama; I am able to, for the most part keep most of the side effects from affecting me too badly if I use the Mangekyō in battle."

Sakura buried her hands in her hair and took a deep breath, biting back the flood of words wanting to spill out of her. He had finally admitted something important to her. Her arms fell to her sides and her hands curled into tight fists until they shook.

"H-how is your sight now?"

"It is still for the most part fine, although occasionally I do have horrible headaches and momentary blurriness. I do not utilize these abilities unless absolutely necessary," he reminded her again. "I rarely have these symptoms. I did not find it relevant as of yet to tell you about it. There is a way to fix it, but..."

"Wait? What? If that's the case, then why won't you just fix it," Sakura slowly released the tension in her fingers and flexed them. Blindness seemed a bit too extreme to not do something about if it was something fixable.

"My clan is one that carries many dark secrets," he reached for her again but she sidestepped him this time.

She shook her head, not sure what to think. Sakura took another step back, "That's kind of a given, isn't it? You are a shinobi after all."

Itachi's arms fell to his sides, and he averted his gaze from her ignoring the hurt in her voice. His visage hardened substantially, "I would have to take the eyes from another Uchiha and have them implanted in my sockets. That is the only way to stop one's self from going blind completely from the effects of the Mangekyō."

A disgusted shiver wracked through her slender frame. Dark secret was the understatement of the century. Swallowing her distaste, she forced herself to look at him. She crossed her arms tightly against herself in an attempt to ward off the chill that admission gave her, "I'll admit that what you just said is a shock. But…"

He reached an arm towards her again, but she continued to back away.

Itachi realized that her body quaking from head to toe. He mentally cursed the Guardians for their interference. He had avoided the subject completely for this very reason. He hadn't want to tell Sakura about his sordid past until it was absolutely necessary. This was only a fraction of the stain that already smeared his soul. He could only imagine how she'd react if she knew about the things he'd done under the orders of his clan and the daimyo.

The tears were starting to brim in her eyes, and he knew the signs all too well. Sakura was about to snap.

He tried to explain, "Sakura I…"

"No, just no." She lifted a hand and shook her head.

"Sakura. Listen to him," Harken's hard voice suddenly cut through the tension between like a knife, "It's the least you can do."

Shaking her head hard, "I just can't right now." Sakura turned on her heel, and before she realized her own intentions, she was running. She wasn't sure where she was going to go, but she just needed to go.

Blinded by her own tears, she stumbled down the path, her stupid limp hindering her more than she would like. Itachi looked at the Guardians, his countenance uncertain.

"It is because she loves you, that it hurts her so deeply," Lady Melethe pointed an elegant fingers towards the direction Sakura took. "We have time. Go after her, if that is your wish. We will wait."

There was no hesitation. Itachi flickered out of sight in the span of an eye blink.

Meanwhile, Sakura was doing her best not to pitch headfirst down the hill. Many emotions were hitting her all at once. She hadn't expected Itachi to ever bare his soul to her, but didn't he think the fact that he would eventually go blind unless he took a family member's eyeballs something that she might need to know? Had he planned to tell her when he was discharged from active duty because he could no longer see?

Had she gained so little of his trust? Hadn't she proven that everything she'd ever done, even concerning her breaking out of the hospital had a damn good reason behind it?

A sob left her throat when she felt his arms wrap around her tightly, pulling her to a complete stop.

Immediately she reacted by sending Itachi a few, badly aimed sharp static shocks. When he didn't budge, she went limp in his arms, her eyes still blinded by a sheen of tears.

He didn't say anything, instead he turned her towards him and slanted his lips over her own. She stiffened in his hold. This particular kiss reminded her of the one he'd given her the morning he officially asked her to marry him. It wasn't a dominating or punishing kiss, but instead it was meant to draw her back to him.

When he withdrew, she looked into his eyes and quivered beneath the intensity of the look he was giving her. She remembered the visceral gleam he had in his obsidian orbs back then. Now, they lacked the harsh and almost cruel emotion he had shown. Now, he looked almost, if she were to give it a word, vulnerable. Not one she would have ever associated with this man, but that was the only way she could describe it.

"Don't look at me like that Itachi." Sakura's voice cracked, "I still love you, you big idiot. I'm just upset you didn't tell me ab…about…"

He slowly released her, and ran a thumb over her tear stained cheeks to wipe away the moisture. Itachi's visage slowly shut off any of the emotion that tried to surface on his features, "I would never take a family member's eyes to cure this - _infection." _

Sakura ran a fingertip down the inner groove in his right cheek when she realized that just talking about this, angered him. Other than his early dealings with her, he was a stoic man who was not one quick to give into his temper.

"I think we'll just have to talk about all this later. We have things we need to get done. I'm sorry I ran. I just didn't know what else to do at that moment," Sakura admitted to him a hushed whisper.

"No. Since it has been brought up, it is time I tell you everything. This is something, that there will never be a _right_ moment."

"I don't know if I can handle it," Sakura shook her head, and pushed her hands against his chest, "I'd rather not…"

"You once told me that you accepted me for who I am," Itachi reminded her, his eyes grim. "Did you lie about that?"

"Ugh!" Sakura wiped the back of her hand across her tear stained cheeks, aggravated at the turn of this particular conversation. Why did he always twist it right back at her? She snapped back, "You don't fight fair, you know that?"

His expression closed off to her then, his lip curled up into the dark smirk she hadn't seen in a long while.

For some reason, it vexed her. She glared at him then, her temper flaring, "Well go on then! Spit it out!" She turned her head to the side and tapped her ear with her forefinger and then poked him hard in the chest with the digit, "I'm all ears, you damn Uchiha."

"Do you remember that photo with me and the other Uchiha in it? You found it in my drawers in my room at my parents' home."

Sakura's heart sunk at the mention of that picture. Of course, she'd never forgotten it. Now, suddenly she was cursing the fact that she had found the stupid thing.

Slowly, her chin ducked, her bangs swinging forward to hide her eyes. She replied, "I remember."

"He was my cousin. I loved him almost as much as I would another brother. He was the grandson of Toshio, the council member that was enraged by my first refusal to accept the chance to become the next Hokage."

"I remember him. But Itachi, you're talking about your cousin - as if…" Sakura wasn't sure how to ask him, about his cousin.

"I killed him."

Sakura's shocked gaze snapped up to Itachi's unrelenting gaze. This time when she tried to back away from him, his hand shot out and shackled her wrist. He wasn't going to allow her the chance to run from him a second time. She shut her eyes and turned her face away from his. She knew that shinobi killed people all the time. But for him to say it, so matter of fact, so cold. She wasn't sure how to react. How did he expect her to respond?

He didn't resume his explanation, and neither did he loosen his grip on her.

She choked out, "Why?"

"I am not a benevolent man, nor am I kind," The cold timbre of his voice hit her hard. She shivered beneath his cruel regard when his obsidian orbs bled into the crimson of sharingan. He reached for her chin with his other hand and forced her to look up at him, "You told me that you loved me, but you do not know anything about me. Do you now see that you are too naïve?"

Instead of scaring her, or forcing her to bend beneath the sudden onslaught of frigid coldness from the male towering over her, his hurtful words only strengthened her resolve.

With a bravado she didn't feel, she returned his smirk right back at him, although hers wasn't the wicked slash his was.

Sakura reached up with her free hand and removed his hand from her chin and placed a kiss in his palm, "What are you trying to do? Do you think that something like this is going to make me take back my love for you suddenly? I don't know what you've been taught, but love isn't like that. At least, mine isn't. Just because you for some reason have decided to act like an ass, it isn't going to make me hate you all of a sudden."

Sakura looked beyond the frigid stare and the dark smirk to the human beneath. She could see the tense set of his shoulders, the sharp lines in his face, and the way he held himself rigid. He was nervous, she realized abruptly. Clamping down fiercely on her own chaotic emotions, she finally gathered her faltering courage to face everything he had to say head on.

"You still don't understand?" She shook her head and sent him a wobbly smile, "You were the one who _chose_ to take my hand Itachi, when we came to Helath and…" when he opened his mouth to protest, she just continued to smile at him while adding off-handedly, "Harken also told me that I am naïve." A self-depreciating smile curved the corner of her mouth, "Itachi I will admit that you are _not_ a benevolent man by any stretch of the imagination - but you _are_ kind."

Itachi finally released his almost bruising hold on her wrist. He backed up a step to give himself a bit of distance from those all too knowing green eyes of hers that seemed to be staring straight into him.

"So finish what you were going to tell me. I'm not going to run anymore." Sakura faced him head on. She hadn't really tried to run from him, instead she tried to escape from her own torrential emotions. It seemed like he had struck her from all sides at once before she had been properly prepared.

He could see by her stance, she was not going to back down now.

The sharingan melted back into black. He cleared his throat and after a few moments of hesitation he continued, "My cousin's name was Shisui. At one time, we were very good friends, but along the way something gradually changed between us. I don't know what was the true reason behind it, but I assume his grandfather pushed him to challenge me for the position of the head clan heir. Or perhaps, he decided on it himself. I still do not understand his motivations to this day." He paused, and then pressed on, "Instead of directly issuing the contest, because he knew we were so closely matched in terms of skill at the time, he kidnapped Sasuke to draw me to him to put me at a disadvantage."

Sasuke's words abruptly came back to her. _Itachi saved my life… One of my cousins kidnapped me, just to get to Itachi._

On the day of the festival, Sasuke had pushed her to speak with Itachi, because Itachi had been worried about her emotional withdrawal. She had the sudden urge to go bang her head against one of the nearby rocks. She was a flipping idiot when the weight of Itachi's actions hit her fully.

"Kami Itachi, I'm so sorry. You married such a stupid woman." She lifted her hand and pressed the back of it against her forehead, "You don't have to say anymore. I understand. At least I think I do now. You killed your cousin to protect your brother…"

"That's only partially correct," he admitted to her in a dead tone, "I was able to defeat Shisui without shedding unnecessary blood. I could have chosen to neutralize him so that he couldn't do anything else, and rescue Sasuke in the process. However, I executed Shisui. I wished to send a message to the rest of the clan. I personally delivered his head to his grandfather, because I wanted the other Uchihas' with the same ambitions to know that I would not have any mercy." "So how did you achieve the Mangekyō?" She asked him without flinching, even though her very insides were squirming at the truth.

"To attain it, you must kill someone who means a lot to you."

"I see. So despite all that, you still loved him, even then," the realization hit Sakura hard. There was one final thing she didn't understand however, "So… How did the clan react? I can't see them letting you off with murdering one of your own, just like that."

"They would have executed me, if it weren't for Sasuke's testimony against Shisui. After the truth came out, most of the Uchiha's sided with my case in this instance and I was released."

"So, that explains the old man's anger," Sakura sighed, and turned to walk back up the hill.

"Aa. My father keeps him in check. There are times that Toshio tries to bring up the incident, but that's where it stops."

"Itachi?"

The silence yawned between them.

She strode towards him suddenly, and cupping his face with her hands, she stepped on her tip toes. He stiffened when Sakura caught his lips up in gentle kiss that caused something inside him to twist almost painfully. It was all there in her touch. The acceptance. The emotions she desperately wanted to convey to him beyond the words themselves. He didn't want to admit that she was succeeding where no one else ever had. He was finally beginning to accept his own feelings towards this woman. The one who had driven him crazy from the first moment he'd met her. He had always known that she meant something to him, but he was still a bit leery about giving it a title. He just knew that he did and that realization in itself was a bit disconcerting.

She was continuing to show him at every turn, she meant it when she said that she loved him. He had known from the beginning that there had been some truth to her declaration, but only now, was he starting to comprehend the depth of it.

Sakura relaxed against him completely when his arms finally snaked around her slender frame, drawing her closer against him.

When he started to move away from her, she gripped his black tunic with hard fingers.

He responded be giving her, a small, rare smile.

Her fingers grew slack, releasing him, when he pressed a kiss against her forehead.

"Come, they are waiting for us."

"Yeah, yeah," Sakura rubbed the residual moisture from her eyes with the tips of her fingers. Once more, she trekked up the path behind him. She grumbled, "You're going to give me a heart attack yet, you know that?"

Itachi glanced over his shoulder at her and smirked at her. A masculine grin that caused her toes to curl deep into her sandals, "The feeling is mutual."

She stopped mid step, faltering slightly before picking up her pace behind him. When they reached the top of the hill, the Guardians eyed the couple knowingly, and Sakura averted her face to hide the blush slowly creeping up her neck.

"We were able to discuss a bit more in your absence. I see that the times have indeed changed, especially since I'm being talked into doing this for you shinobi," Melethe turned to Itachi, and then started to walk towards him.

Itachi looked into the Guardian's deep garnet orbs, and waited for her to expound on her statement.

"Many of the major shinobi clan's bloodline limit have been enhanced by the Bijuu at some point, and because of their tampering the abilities became a twisted version of what they should have been. You've made choices, many difficult because you've cared." She reached forward and frowned when Itachi agilely sidestepped just beyond her reach.

"I can't do much beyond this, so let me assist you at least in this."

"What are you attempting to do?" Itachi asked her, obsidian orbs narrowing into two specks of flint.

"Heal you."

When he grew rigid, Sakura could already see that he was struggling with his pride. He refused the Guardian outright, "No. This is a result of my choice. I took my cousin's life. Now I must live with the consequence of my actions."

Lady Melethe's arms dropped to her sides. She looked at Harken helplessly, unsure of what to say to the stubborn human male bristling in front of her.

Lady Harken immediately interjected, "I didn't ask her for your sake. I asked her for everyone else's. You will face opponents that will stop at nothing to take Sakura. This time, if the Bijuu get their hands on her when they are finished with her, they will probably kill her."

Itachi shook his head still refusing the Guardian's offer.

Sakura came up behind Itachi, and slowly wrapped her arms around his middle. She lay her forehead against his back, unsure of what she could say.

He replied with a firm shake of the head, "Something like that… will not be enough. We went at them full force, and we were swatted aside like gnats. Even both Hokages didn't have a chance against them."

Harken's lips stretched when he finally relented slightly, into an almost maniacal smile that would make most people nervous, "Oh, I know. That's why when we're done here, we're going Lord Huror. If you think I'm sending Sakura back without ample protection, then you've got another thing coming."

Melethe, for one, having never seen that particular look on her sibling's face, stepped well to the side. She looked at the shaman thoughtfully and then back to Harken.

She reminded Harken calmly, "He has to accept the gift himself, or it won't work."

"I haven't forgotten. I just want him to understand what's at stake."

Itachi extricated himself from Sakura's gentle embrace and crossed his arms. He decided to get to the point with the Guardian, "Explain to me how this is going to affect me, and how this will assist me in protecting Sakura from the Bijuu."

If she really had some sort of plan that would be effective, than he would relent to the other Guardian's ministrations. After all, if that was the case, it would enable him to protect Konoha from the Bijuu as well. That was too steep a price, for him not to agree to it. Shisui would just have to take it up with him in the afterlife, if that was the case.

"The reason I've asked her to heal the issue with your eyes, is not so that you can continue to use it, without repercussion. Although, it will have that effect, that's not my intent. You see, once Melethe heals that part of you, it will stabilize your chakra output. In other words, the strain you experience now, will not exist. You are not Nuwan, but that does not mean that you could never possess the ability to become a true partner to a shaman."

Sakura listened to Harken's explanation wide-eyed and then shook her head when she realized where the Guardian was going with this.

She interrupted, unable to hold back the questions this raised, "Wait. Are you suggesting he become like a shrine warrior?"

"Well, you _could _technically look at it that way, but that's still quite not it. Chakra will never respond to him the way it does to a Nuwan. _However, _I would rather look at it as, we're going to _enhance _him. Strengthen the shinobi aspect of him."

The shaman sighed, and rolled her eyes. She shook her head, when she seen the smarmy feline-like grin on Harken's face. No matter how she looked at the Guardian, she could still see the black cat that was Hana, was still very much apart of her.

She buried her face in her hands, "This is going to be trouble." She could already see it now. The Hokage probably won't take the change in one of his shinobi very well.

Itachi tightly reined in his faltering patience. He knew that it was very much like Hana to beat around the bush.

Harken turned back to him and elucidated, "For you to be able to manipulate the elemental chakra spirits that Sakura summons, you cannot suffer strain. You're chakra pathways, especially here," she tapped a finger against her own temple, "needs to be healed, and strengthened. Mangekyō is, like you said, a dark ability that heavily effects the user physically and mentally. Part of that is because its very existence pulls strength from not only the user's emotions, but the soul as well."

He arched a brow at the Guardian, but didn't deign to comment on this new tidbit of information yet.

"You as a human, are tapping into the fringes of the in-between realm where the spirits exist. It is a place that you humans were never meant to be able to open on your own. It was a cursed gift from the Bijuu that gave your clan access to power to give you an edge in the war. You may believe that you are merely using an advanced genjutsu technique that came at a high cost, but you are in fact attacking the soul of your victims, not just their mind. Using Tsukuyomi carelessly will eventually cost you your own life," she finished quietly.

"You seem to know quite a bit about it," Itachi told her. His closed off expression gave away his growing distrust.

Sakura sent him with an inscrutable look that didn't give away her own conflicting emotions. She interjected as calmly as she could manage, "That's because of the war. She would have to know. The shamans always went to the Guardians for assistance, and your…" She sucked in a breath when the full strength of his gaze hit her.

When his visage remained stone cold, she had the urge to throw up her hands and shake some sense into him all at the same time.

"The point is Itachi - the Guardians and the Bijuu know a whole heck a lot about us. The difference is, that they," Sakura gestured towards the Guardians with a frantic palm, "are trying to help us. Shukaku and Kyuubi on the other hand…" Her voice trailed away.

Finally, Itachi conceded, "How will it help? What will the other Guardian be asked to do?'

Harken walked over to him, and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Lady Melethe will simply heal you, just as she told you before. Lord Huror will be able to give your body the strength you need to stand toe to toe with the Bijuu, should it become necessary. That is all."

"With a shaman." He finished for the Guardian quietly. He glanced to the side tellingly at Sakura, "Which I assume, you mean her."

Harken nodded in quiet agreement.

"I know you don't like the idea, but I need to be able to protect myself. I can't always depend on others," Sakura told Itachi. She was already mentally thanking the Guardian for her intervention. Even when she left Helath, it seemed Harken would still be looking after her.

Itachi stilled, while he quietly thought everything over. He knew when it was all said and done, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to be able to protect not only Sakura, but Konoha from the Kyuubi and Shukaku as well.

Wordlessly, he strode over to Lady Melethe in long fluid strides. He nodded once at the Guardian, giving his final assent. She smiled down at him, and reached forward with both hands to encase his temples in warm palms.

Heat suffused him, and then like the slow trickle of water hitting the skin, he could feel it. Warmth began to flow from his temples all the way to his toes, through his chakra pathways like quicksilver. Each major node that led to a gate tingled with an energy that he had never felt before in his life. It was as if every fault, every small nuance, nook, and cranny became whole again after years of abuse in battle. The chakra still present in him, blossomed beneath the Guardian's soothing presence in a way that filled him with strength.

He hadn't been sure what to expect. Usually healing involved pain, but there was nothing but careful consideration in all that she did. He could feel her intentions in the energy still winding through, leaping from pore to pore, vein to vein.

Sakura watched on with concern etched in her features, while she witnessed the strands of interweaving pink and blue entering into his body, from the Guardian's fingertips. Green eyes widened when the wings she hadn't thought existed appeared extending from Melethe's back, curving. They were barely visible to the naked eye and nearly translucent, but they were there.

Awe transformed Sakura features into delight and remained so until the Guardian withdrew her touch from the human male standing still with his eyes closed.

"The damage was more extensive than I first thought," Lady Melethe turned to Lady Harken and Sakura, "If that is all you have need of me, I wish to meet with the elders in Helath before returning to the Guardian's realm."

"Thank you sister. I will soon meet you on the other side."

Lady Melethe sent a knowing glance in the direction of Sakura's feet.

Sakura shook her head, waving the Guardian's concern aside, "That's a trivial thing. It's almost healed completely anyway. Thanks for doing all that you have. I didn't know what to expect but…"

"As you wish, young one." She turned in a fluid circle, that sent the hem of her garments dancing on the breeze's edge. She strode to end of the hilltop and with one last glance over her shoulder, she seemed to step into the horizon. Instead of plummeting down with the pull of gravity, the Guardian disappeared into the depths of the next plane. Sakura watched a nearly invisible feather drop from the Guardian's wing as it was sucked through with the rest of her, and then dissipate just as it touched the ground in what she could only describe as a small, soundless splash. Like a tiny drop of water.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Sakura moved over to Itachi, who still had his eyes shut. She placed a hand on his shoulder gently and lightly as possbile, not wanting to startle him.

She waited patiently until he opened his eyes, and looked at her.

"Are you feeling okay now?" She inquired softly after he focused on her.

He looked past Sakura to Harken, a silent question forming on his face.

"The humming sensation that you feel coursing through your pathways will fade soon. It is the after effect of the change."

He seemed to mull that over, and then nodded to show that he understood.

"Come on, let's go back to the village for now. We can go to the other statue tomorrow," Sakura moved to the side to give him ample room.

"Aa."

Harken hitched the picnic basket higher up her arm and then strode towards where they had last seen Lady Melethe, "Let's go. We'll return quickly, so that you both may rest this evening."

"Thanks. I think we're going to need it. At least, I know I am," was Sakura's heartfelt reply. Even though it was just the afternoon, she felt as if she could bury herself beneath the covers of a comfortable bed and sleep at least ten hours.

Sakura ushered Itachi forward, gently propelling him with a nudge at the crook of his elbow. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, when he reached down to take her hand in his, lacing his fingers through hers before stepping together through to the other side with Lady Harken.

For the first time since their arrival to Helath, Sakura felt good about the upcoming day when she would return with Itachi to Konoha to face the unknown. She knew that this time for certain, because of the step of faith that he just made, she wouldn't have to face her enemies alone.

**-o-**

**A/N: **I apologize for the length of time it took me to get this chapter out. I'm still not 100% satisfied with it but, all in all, I think this finally conveys what I wanted to happen in this next part. Trust me, when I say, this hasn't been on the back burner. I've been ruminating on it for quite awhile. Itachi's past is finally surfacing. **XD **


	32. Chapter 32

**-OMAKE-**

Sakura decided to relax on the porch after dinner. Patting her slightly bulging stomach, she sat on the step with a small contented sigh. The small house near the edge of town situated near Lady Meesha's home, was small and quaint, but comfortable.

Leaning back, she stared up into the sky, thinking about the day. Who would have ever thought Itachi would concede to anything? Even though she had stood in front of the council, and acted brave about the whole thing, she was still a little nervous about returning home.

She had a feeling when it was all said and done she would still end up a cell. Sakura felt a small smile tugging on her lips when she remembered the chaos she caused at the hospital. It wasn't like they would be able to keep her locked up anyway. Even if they found a way to block her from using her own chakra, they couldn't stop her from speaking to the elemental spirits. Unless they kept her unconscious, perhaps.

"What do you find so amusing?" Itachi asked suddenly, startling her from her train of thought after stepping out beneath the awning.

She leaned back, and peered up at him with a goofy grin still plastered on her face, "If you must know - I'm planning my next prison break."

He smirked amused by her antics, and settled on the step next to her. "Are you suggesting that I should come up with a counter plan?"

Playfully punching him in the shoulder, she mock berated him with an exaggerated wag of the finger, "What are you talking about? They're going to put you in the cell next to mine. It would be better for us both if you come up with a plan B, in case mine fails."

"I'm too valuable to put in jail," Itachi deadpanned with a smirk.


	33. Chapter 32, Continued

**A/N: **I'm still on hiatus to an extent, but as I write I will post chapters. Like last year, it's likely I'll take off my hiatus notes after Christmas. This part of the year, is usually the most stressful for me. For those of you in other countries, it might seem strange but - in the U.S., the end part of the year is crammed together with holidays. First we have Halloween, which we actually celebrate here. And then comes Thanksgiving, and if you are female, and the cook. It's tiring. There's no other word for it. Just all the prep work alone… And then finally Christmas. I get through the days sometimes, by imagining certain rude individuals being tossed into Tsukuyomi. It's like a triple kick to the nuts, sometimes. With that said, I hope you enjoy. I don't have a beta, so if there's certain grammar errors I miss, please forgive them. (I read through a couple times, but I still miss things) I hope you enjoy.

**A/N: And as always, I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 32**

**(continuation)**

He hated this sordid stain on his soul. For as much as the Uzumaki's claimed to adhere to their morals and ideals, there was not a shinobi on this earth that didn't have regrets because of the choices they made. The same could be said for everyone, shinobi and none shinobi alike, but _his _profession claimed lives.

Adjusting slightly, he angled his chin upward and gazed up into the whirling abyss of various shades of gray, black, and vermillion. The all too familiar scenery, caused him to frown. In the distance, a sharp echo reverberated. He heard the call of the crows. The bitter twang to the caws, beat insistently at him. It was an all too familiar sound, and yet this time there was something decidedly different about it. It was almost as if, they were beckoning him ever deeper into his own personal hell.

Even though he could use the Mangekyō as a weapon. He loathed it, and all that Tsukuyomi represented. However, he was also pragmatic, and there were times where the end met the need. To protect the Konoha alliance, he had continually spent his soul without question. Perhaps the sound of bitterness was actually a shadow of himself. Of all the choices he had made, and all was said and done, the one that had given him this ability had left him feeling the most haunted. However, he had never regretted it. An ironic contrast that almost made him smile darkly.

For every step he took, the shallow liquid around his feet undulated. In this place, the ripples moved inwards towards his heel, as if it were trying to suck him in ever deeper into the excess of the void. He could easily see why this place bothered Sakura, beyond just the normal fear factor itself. It held a measure of wrongness that only the most sensitive to their surroundings would sense. He had captured many a victim within who had never realized, even after it was too late, what was actually happening to them.

Itachi stopped just as he passed by one of the gnarled trees. His eyes flit to the side, when a crow landed on a branch that extended closest to his current location. He _was_ being summoned it seemed, a frown turned his lips. Countless times he had dreamed of this place, but tonight, something was definitely unusual. It was not quite right, which was an odd thought, considering where he was.

Ignoring the insistent crow, he wondered idly, if he should just wake up as he always had when he grew weary of being inside the Tsukuyomi.

Then, just as he was about to force himself to awaken, the grayness that cloaked was suddenly bathed in an aura of light that pierced through. The crow that had studied him so closely, flapped its wings and cawed, as if to protest before flying into the vast space above leaving behind a small shower of inky black feathers.

The shinobi averted his gaze, his shrewd expression honing in on what he could only describe as a shadow of light ascending towards him through the sparse and deadened stumps.

It lengthened and spread over the wasteland, bringing with it a warmth that the coldness around him didn't seem to recognize. It gave the impression that it protested against the foreign presence that encroached on its territory, its icy fingers attempting to maintain its grip on him. Finally the chill succumbed, and for the first time in Tsukuyomi, Itachi was bathed in the warmth that seemed to wrap around him and spread through him lending him a level of calm that he hadn't thought obtainable for someone like him. It was one thing to appear calm, and another altogether to actually feel that way.

Dark eyes met warm silver. Itachi took a step back when he realized that it wasn't just a presence that had decided to suddenly show up. The first thing that struck him about the being approaching him, was the magnificence of the massive, nearly white mane that flowed over a well defined muscled back and limbs, encased in an unusually pale milky hued fur.

Gargantuan paws paved a path towards the stoic shinobi, silver eyes unblinking, yet they also held a measure of firm kindness.

Itachi had never seen a lion anywhere else other than picture books. Immediately he thought that the paltry drawings failed to portray the true majesty of the king of predators if he were to go by the beast coming towards him.

Used to animal summons having the ability to speak, he didn't even blink when the deep baritone rumbled from the white lion, "It is good, that you accepted my presence in this place. This will make things much simpler."

Drawing himself up straight into a somewhat defensive stance, Itachi inquired coolly, "Who are you?"

"You have already met my two sisters. I decided to meet you here in this place, so that we may speak unhindered by others," he padded closer to Itachi, and then gracefully sat on his haunches.

"Lord Huror, was it?" Itachi folded his arms, and eyed the Guardian pensively. He arched a brow. He almost smirked at the irony of it.

The lion dipped his head regally. Itachi wondered privately, if it was just natural for the Guardian to carry himself that way, or if it was due to his actual form. He waited politely for the Guardian to explain why he had searched him out. Itachi knew that it had to be for some reason or another. Obviously, since he himself wasn't a shaman or even a Nuwan to begin with. He found it slightly amusing that the Guardian must have somehow overheard their conversation with the Nuwan just the day before, since he could hear him. Word must travel among the spirits fast, he concluded.

Itachi finally caved in and spoke first, since the Guardian made no move to speak, "What brings you here?" How did a Guardian even get into the Tsukuyomi in the first place? He wondered silently. Obsidian orbs narrowed when he remember Sakura had recognized it, and had stared at him from inside her own inner, secret place as well.

"My sister wishes to seek me out, on yours and the shaman's behalf. It is not yet time for my awakening. I must remain behind until the last Nuwan steps foot outside of Helath. I know of my sister's intentions," Lord Huror clarified, leaving the rest of the sentence hanging.

Itachi dipped his head, to show that he understood. He concluded, "So you decided to meet me here instead."

Instead of answering him directly, the Guardian's massive head swung to the side as he surveyed all that was before him. The next sentence he spoke, seemed to be more to himself than to Itachi, "This place…" he trailed off and then added as afterthought, "What a heavy burden to bear."

"Aa." Itachi was apathetic and dry in his response, which wasn't missed by the Guardian. It wasn't that he was impatient. He just disliked it intensely when people or anyone for that matter, beat around the bush. In his mind, it served no purpose.

This drew the Guardian's attention back to him. The great white lion merely looked upon him with a shrewd expression that belied the initial warmth Itachi noticed. He glanced away, his farseeing silver gaze peered off into the horizon as he spoke, "I am very much unlike my sisters and perhaps the other Guardians, that maintain all life as we know it. I have always looked upon all races without the bias, and prejudices of my kind. In the truest sense of the word, I _am _Courage."

The words stilled in Itachi's throat, when the predator standing before him swung his head back around to look at him intently.

Itachi finally grasped the words, that had just escaped him moments prior. He knew he was repeating himself, but it was all the he could say, "Why are you here?"

"I am not one to hand out _gifts, _just because Lady Harken deems it so. I am _here_ because I want to meet this shinobi, that my sister believes deserves no - needs it, so that he can stand on even ground with the Bijuu. At least, as much as a human can possibly ever could," Lord Huror rose to his feet and came to stand right in front of Itachi.

He was so close, Itachi could feel the hot breath coming from the lion fanning out over his face as he peered down at the shinobi. It was all he could do not to take a step back to give himself some space.

Itachi instinctively knew, that it was better to be silent. He was dealing with an unknown entity, and it was with a calculating composure that he returned the Guardian's stare without faltering.

"Every race that ever was, and that will ever be - has the ability to understand what courage is, whether they have the gift of speech to describe it or not. So I ask you human, what is courage?"

The Uchiha's calm mask gave way to consideration. He was a bit taken aback by the sudden inquiry. Not because it was asked. He had partially expected it. It was just the timing that threw him off. He turned it over in his mind for at least a good minute, before choosing his words with the careful precision that only one of his chosen profession could, "It is the sense of fearlessness; the assertion of bravery one chooses to have to face all obstacles to achieve what one has to do no matter the cost - sometimes without knowing the effects of the outcome."

"To an extent that is the truth of it. But it is only partially correct," Lord Huror smiled and moved to rest on his haunches once again.

"My wife has quoted…"

"Courage, is the power to go beyond oneself to protect. Love, sustains the heart, it gives one the strength to protect that which is precious. Hope, is the power to believe in the future_," _if at all possible, the Guardian was smiling at him now.

"Aa. That is correct," Itachi dipped his head, even as he frowned. It seemed that this was a common belief not only amongst the Nuwan, but the Guardians as well.

Lord Huror peered at him with a thoughtful expression, "I am a bit astonished that, that is how you choose to define courage." He rose to all fours, and took to walking around the shinobi in one wide circle, "With the choices that you have chosen to make…"

_With the choices that you have chosen to make._ The words echoed from within, even as the last sound of the final syllable faded into silence. Strangely enough, he wasn't offended by the Guardian's words. He had learned from his previous meeting with the Guardian of Love, that these beings seen and heard things that he wouldn't have believed anyone else to be a witness to.

"Courage is acceptance."

The simple explanation was spoken so quietly, he almost didn't catch it. His chin lifted, and he returned the lion's even gaze shrewdly, "Acceptance?"

"It is not a righteous sentiment, although some choose to define it that way. Nor is it evil. Every living being, spirit or flesh, has something that they fear or even hate about themselves. At the core of what you would call courage, at it's truest denotation is accepting yourself and facing each obstacle, with a true understanding of your faults and weaknesses. It is not running mindlessly headlong into battle, because of a self-righteous ideal. It is in accepting the fear that you might fail, but still rising above that which you may perceive as a fault to protect someone precious," Lord Huror explained fully.

Itachi thought about the Guardian of Courage's words, and after sifting through each and every one with a mindful precision that few people could match, he nodded, "Aa. So you are here, to decide whether or not to assist us - no, me." It was just as Lord Huror had told him before, but now it was beginning to make sense to him.

The lion's chin dipped to his chin, "It is as you say."

"If you had come to me just a few weeks ago, no days - I would not have understood. Even to this day, I do not consider my part in my cousin's death as an act of courage - it was something that had to be done to ensure my brother's protection. This place, is my burden to bear. It is the result of my choice. Despite Shisui's betrayal, I have never hated him. I have merely accepted the outcome. Mangekyō. Tsukuyomi. The blindness, that I knew would eventually occur. But I had never completely accepted the darkness inside myself," Itachi lifted his hands, and stared down at his palms. He continued, his smooth tenor becoming slightly hoarse, "until Sakura accepted that part of me, even though _that_ goes completely against her nature."

He let his hands fall to his sides, and slowly curled his fingers into hard fists, "When she ran to Helath, and she gave me the choice. I contemplated releasing her so that perhaps she could find another more suitable person. Someone of her own race to live out her life with." Itachi arched a brow at the Guardian who had fallen into complete silence, "But I was too selfish to let her go. Even if I couldn't comprehend it at the time." He would never forget the look in her eyes when he tried to push her away, even when all he truly desired in the end was her acceptance of his true self. He glanced away, "I hate this weakness, but I have come to accept it as apart of who I am."

"Just as the Guardians of the elements are all irrevocably intertwined with one another, so are my sisters and I. Even though you are not Nuwan, you understand the balance," Lord Huror replied and then added with a small smile that caused his fangs to peek out over his furry lip, "You have all that you nearly need to face the Bijuu."

Itachi's brows practically disappeared into his hairline. His gaze of abject disbelief elicited a chuckle from the lion, which to the shinobi sounded more like a throaty cough.

The Guardian shook his head, and in doing so, sent his mane into a mass of cascading ripples, "I understand your disbelief, because you have faced them. You know the power that Kyuubi has at his disposal…" he paused and slowly explained, "Shinobi and the Nuwan, are not so different. The others would disagree however, but I have long concluded that the only true difference is the intent."

"An entire village of shinobi - of all different types and abilities, unleashed attacks on them. They were unaffected." And Itachi was completely unimpressed with the Guardian's assessment.

Lord Huror quickly agreed, "Of course it didn't work." He leveled his silver eyes at Itachi, "You didn't work in tandem with the shaman, did you? But perhaps, even I get ahead of myself. You have never seen how a shaman and shrine warrior work together. If you were to have done so with your mate, then you would have had a chance perhaps…"

Itachi immediately shook his head, "I do not want my wife to have to face them again."

"It doesn't matter what _you _want. The Bijuu will take the battle to her, until they manage to succeed. You could hide her away, but they will always find a way to get to her."

"If I accept what you say. What is this gift? And what must I do to get it?" Itachi decided to once again, get to the point.

"Your eyes have already been healed, and your chakra output stabilized. All you need now is the body _and _mind to face them," Lord Huror returned simply.

Itachi frowned at the Guardian, "How is such a thing possible?" He knew that the Bijuu were nearly, if not completely immortal beings.

"The body I can give you. The mind is something that you must figure out on your own." Lord Huror's tail swished back and forth. He pressed on in a warm, but firm baritone, "However, I'm sure you witnessed that the shaman was able to walk up to the Kyuubi and yet most of the shinobi weren't able to get within a few feet of them."

He tilted his head to the side, his expression calculating. "Aa."

"I can give you the ability to do the same. What you do with it, after that point is up to you. I am not my sisters. I will not force you to make the decision. Do you want this gift, or do you refuse it?" The Guardian was point blank.

At this, a grudging respect for the being lodged itself somewhere inside him. Unlike the other two he had met, this one was straight forward and didn't speak in riddles. Itachi was not one who gave his trust lightly, but for some reason, he knew instinctively that the Guardian of Courage was not going to attempt to push him into a verbal corner and coerce him into taking something he did not want. He realized that if he refused now, then Lord Huror would not ask him ever again.

"Aa. I will accept this gift." Even though he knew that in his agreement, he was essentially admitting to his faults. He could be at peace with it. He needed to be there for Sakura the next time.

Slowly he lifted his gaze to meet the lion's again, "What must I do?"

Huror did not answer, instead the massive predator backed up several steps before dipping his large head, sending the fur in his mane into a descending ripple, "Then. It is done."

The beast Guardian's next move was unexpected. Right before Itachi's eyes, the lion charged him. Every nerve ending in him screamed to run, but it was by pure instinct alone that he held his ground. He peered straight into those silver pools, banked with a compassion and strength, that only one like him could know. Wisdom stared straight back at him, filling his entire being with warmth.

When the large cat pounced towards him, his solid mass shifted into a corporeal and nearly invisible form. Itachi's head fell back the moment the lion leapt through him, straight through his chest and heart like an arrow. His body completely froze, his eyelids wide open, his gaze unseeing when he felt the nearly indescribable burning sensation all the way to his very soul.

It was only moments, but it felt almost like an eternity until the lion left him and landed on the other side.

Itachi's knees gave out on him, and he collapsed to his knees.

Digging his fingers into the sand, he raised his head only to find a pair of obsidian orbs staring right back at him. Startled by the change, Itachi angled himself to obtain a better look at the Guardian surveying him silently. Huror's fur shimmered once brightly, and as the lion turned - white melted away, giving way to black and darkness.

Itachi's lips peeled back tightly, to press against his teeth into what might amount to as a smile.

The Guardian of Courage faded away without another word. But of course, there wasn't anything that needed to be said, because it was in that moment that Itachi understood. Courage was neither darkness, nor light. It was simply both. Balance.

The warmth that had come with the Guardian was gone. Itachi winced when he moved to stand up. Ironically, he felt as if he had just gone through a strenuous workout. At the moment, other than that - he didn't feel any different. Except, he did feel lighter than he had in a long while.

A crow cawed in the distance, reminding him of where he was. It was time that he woke. The scenery around him faded, and melting into the darkness of blissful sleep. He started to sink into the comfortable folds of slumber, when light pierced through his moment of peace - and his eyes shot open. His nostrils flared at the soothing scent of some herbal tea, he couldn't quite place.

-o-

Bustling about the small kitchen of the borrowed house they'd been allotted for their stay, Sakura had just set the tea to steep when Itachi's surprisingly groggy voice called her name. She was usually the one dragging her feet in the morning. The moment he woke, he seemed as alert as if he'd been up for hours. She had long reasoned, that it must be a shinobi thing.

Turning, she smiled when she spotted him leaning against the door frame.

"Are you hungry? I just made some tea."

"Aa." He answered noncommittally.

She frowned at his near, none answer. While she poured in a small amount of cream and sugar for him, she watched him out of the corner of her eye as she stirred the still steaming liquid for him. He had just slept a full night, and he still looked exhausted, she thought privately.

She set the lavender, floral patterned tea cup on the surface in front of him.

He stared blearily into the liquid for several long moments before lifting it to his lips and gingerly sipped at it.

Sakura sighed, and returned to the counter. She put more cream than sugar in her own, and brought the fresh bread she had sliced earlier with a jar of questionable peachy colored preserves. She sat the platter down in the center of the table, before taking a seat herself.

Observing him covertly beneath lowered lashes, she just drank her tea while he spread the jam on bread slices. He placed the bread on his plate, but didn't move to eat it.

After several minutes of utter silence, which was a stretch - even for Itachi, Sakura inquired in a soft voice to draw his attention to her, "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

He lifted his head and blinked thrice, and then rubbed at his eyes with the heel of his palm.

Concerned, she reached over and placed a warm hand over the wrist still laying on the table.

The moment her fingers gently grazed his skin, his head snapped up and he looked straight at her.

Seeing the silent inquiry in his dark eyes, "Are you okay? If you want to stay behind and sleep in a little bit more, that should be fine. Hana and I are just going to go visit the other shrine and…"

He cut in, "It is not necessary."

Eyes widened at the sudden, and unexpected curt response. Sakura arched a brow at him then, "What do you mean by that?"

"The Guardian visited my dreams. He said that it was not time for him to awaken. He gave me the gift, I believe that Harken was going to request. This leads me to believe that even if you both go to visit the statue, he will not answer," Itachi finally picked up his jam covered bread, and bit into the corner.

Something akin to relief filled her. She bit her lip and then asked full of avid curiosity, her bright smile taking him off guard, "So what did he look like?"

"He met me as a white lion and then he left as a black lion."

"Somehow, that seems very fitting," Sakura replied before taking a bite of her own jam bread.

"Will you go anyway?"

Shaking her head, she asserted brightly, "No. I trust you. I'll just have to see what Hana wants to do. I don't mind having a full day to rest, to be honest."

He nodded and then asked, "Will you be ready to return tomorrow?"

"A part of me is nervous. I can only hope that they will understand eventually."

"With everything that's happened, I doubt the Hokage will be hasty and have you arrested on the spot. You will have to explain everything but…" He paused and surprised her by reaching over and taking up her other hand, his fingers curling into hers, "You won't be alone this time."

Choking back the sudden tightening of her throat, she replied steadily, "I know."

He removed his touch and announced fairly abruptly, leaving his half eaten breakfast behind, "I'm going to go find one of the shrine warriors that's going to accompany us tomorrow morning. There's still some things I need to discuss with them, before we set out."

"If Harken doesn't decide to drag me around anyway, I'll just take a look around the village while I have the chance."

No longer hungry, she stood up and started to gather up their unfinished food and tea. Her whole frame stiffened in surprise, when suddenly his arms slid around her and he pulled her against his chest and hugged her. She felt his lips press just above her temple, in the rustle of her still knotted hair.

And just as quickly as it came, the warmth was gone.

Shaking off the feeling of fluttering butterflies flitting around inside her, she returned to the task at hand and finished cleaning up. Smoothing her hands down borrowed linen pants, she ran a quick brush through her hair and with one final deep breath - she decided that it was time she tell Harken about what Itachi had said, and perhaps actually have a chance to explore the village.


	34. Chapter 33

**A/N: Happy New Years.**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

**Chapter 33**

Sakura stepped outside, and even though she seemed to stare out at the people passing by - but her eyes were unseeing. It was so strange. She had spent her entire life protecting a culture and beliefs that she hadn't really understood. All of it, everything she had ever wanted to know was milling about in the streets right in front of her, something that she couldn't have even dreamed of in her wildest dreams. But, when it was said all said and done, and the cards were laid out before her. All she could think about was Itachi.

The narrow world that had held her existence had broadened, and she wasn't the same woman she was six months ago.

Sakura was half way down the small pathway that led into the core of the village when she noticed Harken's form coming straight towards her.

Yellow eyes crinkled at the corners and the Guardian smiled down at her as she approached, "It seems that our trip to the shrine of Courage, isn't necessary."

"How …?" Then Sakura shook her head while grinning, "Never mind. Stupid question."

Harken chuckled wryly, "Let's just say, my brother told me in his own words, 'don't bother.'"

Sakura looked up at the sky, her thoughtful gaze arcing skyward, "I'm grateful that he searched out Itachi on his own." She was relieved that Itachi was afforded the privacy, she knew he valued so highly. After yesterday, she knew he needed it. Hell, she needed it.

"My brother was always an odd one, but I've always believed that hs is truly the most insightful of us all."

Sakura stopped and watched the populace slowly milling by about their daily routines. Listening, she smiled softly. She caught words she understood and then she'd catch snatches of the Nuwan language being spoken between them.

Honestly, other than their colorful hair, so much like her own - this place was a lot like Konoha, especially when it was still Ixion in a lot of ways that showed on the surface. It was a bit more quiet, and the people as ironic as it may seem, especially now that Konoha was occupied by shinobi - more reserved.

As they strode together through the village, side by side in silence - Sakura drunk in all the sights and mysterious wondrousness of it all. It was apparent that though they kept themselves distant, no one was unkind. It showed in their gestures and their polite greetings they spoke to her and Harken as they passed by.

Finally Sakura asked in a quiet voice, "Where are you taking me?" "No where, at the moment. Where would you like to go?" Harken paused mid step and stopped to survey her, her expression warm.

"I really can't think of anything else I want to see. Before I know it, time will pass and it'll be time to return." Sakura was almost ashamed to admit that to Harken, but was relieved when she caught the Guardian's look of understanding.

Several moments of silence passed and then Harken perked up slightly when she returned her gaze to the street in front of her, an amused smile curved umber lips. Glancing at Sakura, she chuckled, "Perhaps, we won't have to find ways to pass the time."

Arching a bemused pink brow at Harken, she turned to look and a matching smile appeared on her face. Lady Floriel was walking straight for them.

Harken was the first to greet her, "Good morning, Lady Floriel."

Lady Floriel's stopped in front of them and dipped her head respectfully in the Guardian's direction and turned to face Sakura, "Your husband has already been by to speak with the council. I knew everything would be happening soon. Before anything else, I would like you to come with me." She sent a glance in the Guardian's direction, "You can come with us as well, if you wish."

Harken just quietly smiled back at her with a knowing smile.

Sakura's expression still had a touch of bemusement, even as she responded, "Of course."

The odd trio walked down the street and it was all Sakura could do, not to laugh out loud at the irony. Here or Konoha. It just seemed that people liked to stare at her in general.

As they finally made their way through to the center of the village, the healer led them straight up to her home. When they stepped up on the porch, Lady Floriel opened the door and stepped to the side to allow them room to move past her.

Before either Sakura or Harken could say a word, Lady Floriel braced bony hands on Sakura's shoulders and guided her towards a chair and then with a surprising amount of strength, pushed her into a sitting position.

When Sakura sent the Guardian a look of puzzlement, Harken just shrugged and shook her head. Looking at the healer with eyes lit with confusion, she asked, "Um, what's going on?"

Lady Floriel didn't answer immediately. Instead, she strode towards the small nightstand next to the bed that Sakura had occupied and reached into one of the drawers and whipped out a pair of scissors.

The healer sent her a firm look, "If you think I'm going to allow you to return home looking like you do now…" She trailed off, and snipped the scissors several times sharply in front of Sakura's nose.

Most people would have recoiled at the old woman's vigor, but Sakura took it all in stride and merely raised a brow at Floriel. She fluffed the lopsided pink strands with her fingers with a smile, "I'm kind of proud of this."

"Being proud is one thing, but looking like the village idiot is another."

The low pitched laugh that slipped out of Harken, caused both Nuwan to look at one another and chuckle.

"Alright, do what you will." Sakura leaned back, and set her hands in her lap primly to allow the older woman access to her hair. She had already known her hair looked bad. Hell, she had long resigned herself to the insults that were sure to fly from a certain loud blonde. Whatever Lady Floriel managed to do, it couldn't look any more worse than it already did.

The healer ran a comb through her still, somewhat tangled tresses first and then immediately started to snip away at the uneven ends. After about ten minutes Floriel stepped away and pointed to the small, dark wood trimmed mirror hanging just above the wall to her right.

"Take a look," the healer offered coolly.

Sakura slowly stood and cautiously approached. She was almost too afraid to look. A pleased smile lit her face, when she realized that all the old woman had does was cut off all the jagged strands to just above her shoulders. The pink tresses hung in a sort of shoulder length bob that looked much better than whatever mess she had going on before.

Immediately she pivoted on her heel to look back at the smiling old woman, "Thank you Lady Floriel."

"You arrived to me in rags. I will send you home as the honored shaman you are," the healer drew herself up straight, and then ambled over to the bed once more. She reached for the neatly folded pile of cornflower blue clothing, on top of the covers. She grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her arm forward before depositing them in arms.

"I don't know what to say…" Sakura was at a loss for words. This old woman was being way too kind to someone she hardly knew, she mused privately.

"Oh shush. I don't know what your family colors are. Go put the clothes on. You're about my size, I think. I hope you find them acceptable." Lady Floriel waved her hand towards the closed off room. Sakura had always assumed that was likely the older woman's bedroom.

Sakura's eyes stung momentarily but instead of reacting outwardly, she mumbled a quick word of gratitude before slipping through the door.

Lady Floriel turned to Harken who had remained quiet through the whole odd exchange. When Harken only returned the look, the healer inquired gruffly, "Well?"

"Well what?"

The old woman still quite didn't know how to take the obvious amusement on the Guardian's pretty face. She asked again, "What is her clan's color?"

"Magenta. The Haruno clan's symbol was unique in that it was a simple white, empty circle. The eternal and unending cycle of life."

"I see. A truly fitting attribute for a clan that chose to stay behind. I wish I had robes that were the proper color for her."

"It was very kind of you to share yours."

Just when Floriel was about to reply, Sakura slipped into the room. The telltale rustle of fabric drew their attention to her. The door clicked quietly shut behind her and the young woman standing there, feeling slightly awkward laced her hands together in front of her.

Unlike the robes that Sakura had inherited from her parents, the ones that Floriel had given her weren't scratchy and stifling in the slightest. The blue garment flowed all the way down to her ankles much like a dress, and it was slightly tapered at the waist. She had managed to tie the darker blue sash, leaving the cerulean ribbon to flow down her left him. The sleeves belled out slightly at the wrist, with white little floret designs at the ends. It was a little more formal than what she would have expected to be honest, but yet it was still more comfortable than what she had been used to.

"You'll do." Floriel's lavender eyes softened at the sight of her. She moved forward and after slipping a wrinkled hand into her dress pocket she pulled out a silver bell. Wordlessly she tied it to Sakura's wrist.

In a soft voice, she started to explain, "This is my clan's color, chalcedony. I have no heirs and so I will send you to the next world with my blessing. It represents, calmness within oneself. Peace."

"What is your clan symbol?" Sakura asked in a low voice, her expression somber. It was hard for her to believe that the old woman would give her something so important.

"Peony. My clan is one of healers."

The sincerity was apparent in Sakura's warm green eyes when she replied solemnly, "Thank you. I still really don't know what to say."

"No, it is I who should thank you. You returned a much beloved Guardian to us and not only that - you've shown me the way to a new future."

At that, Sakura could only smile - her face aglow with a warm brilliance that Harken had never seen radiating from her before. The cold and standoffish girl of the past was gone, and in her place stood a full-grown woman with a look of peace that lit in the depths of emerald with unabashed understanding. It was then that Harken knew, that when Sakura returned home - she would be alright. It did much to calm the worry she had for the young shaman.

The Guardian interrupted, "Would you two like to go to the library? It would be the perfect chance for you to research before you have to return."

Immediately Sakura shook her head, "Thanks, but I think I'd rather go back to the house I'm staying at. I think I'd like to just go and sit on the porch for awhile."

Sakura would do as she'd always done. Watch and observe. She knew she didn't have the proper amount of time to get to know these people. At least this time around. She had the feeling that it was likely that she would return at some point.

For now she was satisfied with knowing Floriel. Glimpsing the old woman's true character beyond the crotchety exterior gave her hope that the shrine warriors that returned with her to Konoha would give her the strength to face the future that awaited her. For the first time, she wouldn't have to stand against all the odds alone. She would not only have Itachi, but also others. It was a good feeling.

Sakura reached towards Floriel, her hands outstretched towards the old woman's before taking it up the surprisingly warm palm in between her own warm fingers, "Perhaps one day, I will have the honor of having you visit my shrine."

"When you young ones are able to straighten things out on the other side, that old windbag Mirdan won't be able to stop me from being the first one through that damn gate," the mischievous smile that lit Floriel's face did much to melt away the years on her wizened visage.

Sakura nodded with an amused grin twisting her lips, "I look forward to it."

"I will see you later as well. I have things I need to… do." Harken told her before heading out ahead of her.

"You grace my home with your presence my lady, until next time," the healer dipped her head respectfully at the Guardian's exit.

Just as Sakura turned to leave as well, Floriel gripped her wrist, "I will be waiting for word from the other side."

"I will make sure one of the shrine warriors keep you informed."

The older woman released her then, her face contorting into that somber mask Sakura had gotten to know over the course of her stay. Floriel bit out coolly, "See that you do."

Sakura only smiled in response. She knew the concern for what it truly was. When she left the house, she allowed her eyes to once again roam over the populace milling about. There was something about observing that warmed her heart, as strange as it seemed. It was in the safe recess of her mind, that she'd always felt the most comfortable.

Always on the outside looking in, through the invisible glass that separated her from the rest of the world. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was just who she was. It was also a strange thought to know, that some of the Nuwan that passed by her dressed in similar robes with wrists that were adorned with bells - could also hear the voices that whispered against her lobe even now.

When she reached the house, she nestled herself in the wooden chair set near the wall beneath the overhang of the porch. For a long while she did as she said she would. She watched all that went on, and even took to watching the odd cloud that hovered lazily by in the blue sky above.

The children flit about the streets, many of them playing a game with rocks carved into dice like shapes in circles drawn in the dirt. The adults passed by one another; some carrying herbs, or carts drawn by oxen filled with a various assortment of goods, throwing out cheerful greetings to one another as they passed by.

As the hours slowly crawled by, eventually pink lashes fanned out against milky cheeks and the reality before her was replaced by dreams of vibrantly green fields speckled with magenta peonies and chakra spirits dancing beneath the pale of the blue skies.

**-o-**

Itachi approached his slumbering wife, propped almost precariously in the chair on the porch. A frown quickly found its way to his face. Did she not have any sense of self-preservation? Every shinobi sense he had was screaming at the very idea of her in such a openly defenseless position.

Just as he was about to reach for her, Harken's voice stopped him, "Let her be at peace."

He turned to find the Guardian approaching him up the walk, her light yellow gaze alighting on him momentarily before shifting towards Sakura, her expression thoughtful. She waved an airy hand at him, "This is the safest place she could ever be. She is dreaming of the spirit fields, and it is a good thing. Her soul is finding solace and rest where it can. While she is able."

He cleared his throat, not quite certain how to respond to something so vague. He shook his head, he should be used to it by now.

"I'll stay out here with her tonight." Harken told him quietly, "She probably won't wake for awhile yet," she turned her gaze towards the darkening skies tellingly.

The Uchiha's frowned deepened substantially; he didn't like the idea of leaving his wife out all night, even if she was with the Guardian.

"You can remain as well if you wish, but I suggest you go in and rest while you are able," Harken told him, just as she sat in the chair closest to Sakura's.

Finally Itachi relented after getting another look at the Guardian's resolved countenance, even though he was certain that he wouldn't hardly sleep tonight himself. There was too much riding on tomorrow morning, as it was. He managed to respond, "Aa."

Harken watched him enter the house and once the door clicked shut, she shook her head and slowly shut her own eyes.

As the sun slowly dipped over the horizon, she allowed herself the peaceful ebb of rest while she listened to the soft keening songs of the spirits.

**-o-**

Sakura awoke at the first light of the rising sun. The shadows and remnants of dreams lingered as the foggy haze of sleepiness lingered in the early morning light. A yawn cracked and spilled out through slightly parted lips. She raised her arms straight up into the air as she stretched all of the kinks out of her body.

When she realized where she was, she straightened and glanced over at the slumbering Guardian at her side. What had happened? Why was she still outside? Where was Itachi? The thoughts tumbled one after the other in her still someone hazy mind.

She quickly rose to her feet, still feeling a bit bemused by the fact that despite where she had slept that night - she didn't feel sore. In fact, she actually felt rested.

Just as she reached for the doorknob, Harken's voice stopped her in her tracks, "He's inside. I told him not to disturb you yesterday evening."

"Why would you do that?" Sakura arched a brow at Harken, and shook her head, "I can only imagine his reaction."

"It was something you needed. It isn't unusual for a shaman to sleep outside. In fact most here, prefer it," Harken responded with a half shrug, and a small knowing smile.

Sakura entered the small home and shut the door behind her with a gentle click. A thoughtful expression contorted her petite features when she noticed that Itachi was already sitting at the small table. He still seemed - tired, she realized with just a quick look at him. She immediately noticed that all he had in front of him was a cup of steaming tea. He arched a brow at her slow approach.

The still quiet of the morning hung between them for several moments before she finally sat down, and met his unwavering gaze.

"When do we return?" Sakura inquired in a soft voice.

"I will meet up with the council here once more. I will return with the others to pick you up. The Hokage is expecting our arrival before noon." Itachi returned matter-of-factly, his gaze roaming over her and returned to her face seeming to search for something.

"I will be ready," was her calm response.

Green eyes met obsidian. Understanding passed between the two of them. Itachi smoothly rose to his feet, the legs of the table scraping against the wood floor. Sakura noticed as he walked away that he had even left behind half finished tea. It was the only sign of nervousness from him that was readily noticeable. Her own stomach protested at the idea of food and drink. Even the scent of the herbal tea was making her slightly nauseous.

She decided then that she would just ready herself, just as she told Itachi she would and then wait outside with Harken. That thought alone caused her throat to seize up with emotion. She had never been all that great with goodbyes. Uncertainty clawed at her insides. Sakura wasn't quite sure if she was ready for this next chapter in her life. Still it must be, she mused quietly.

Moving through the small, quaint home - she went to the small lavatory and relieved herself before washing up in the white sink as best as she could manage. Running the comb through her now straight tresses, she returned to the porch where Harken still sat unmoved in the wooden chair that looked three sizes too small for the Guardian.

Harken smiled at her before returning her light yellow gaze towards the empty street.

Silence reigned between them for an immeasurable stretch of time. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and familiar. They just enjoyed sitting in one another's company as they had for years living with one another.

In her off key way, Sakura began to sing softly, "Oh tanuki, Shukaku, lord of the wind. Good fortune blows in with the breath of Zephyr. The night has gone Nekomata, and the silver eye of the moon, whom watches over the souls of the living rests in slumber. Oh Isonade, the fisherman prays for your rain, drawing their catch to the surface of your blue waters."

Harken smiled and shook her head. She surprised Sakura when her beautiful melodic voice tinkling like the finest of silver bells finished the refrain, "Sokou, may your hibernation be peaceful, and the voices of the living – wake you not. Houkou, all the elements bow to your wisdom. Raiju, I hear the distant thunder, your voice a brilliant white light over the darkened lands. Kaku, lord of the earth, spring blossoms and the farmers pray your blessings upon the harvests. Yamata no Orochi, the spirits of evil tremble at the mention of your name, but you are part of the balance that must be kept. Kyuubi, king of the Bijuu, your fiery inferno lays waste to the legions of your enemies."

Harken and Sakura smiled at each other, and it was Sakura who spoke first, "I still don't hate them. I just wish…" she shook her head, not sure what to think about the situation that awaited her.

"I know." Was the smooth response.

Sakura felt Itachi's approach and she stiffened tellingly. Immediately the breeze began to pick up and stir around her, giving away the fact that she wasn't as emotionally composed as she tried to appear. She cleared her throat, "Will I be able to speak with you like I do the other Guardians?"

Harken reached over, and lay a soothing bronze hand over Sakura's hand, "Of course. I'll always be the first to answer, should you ever have need of me. I think after all this is said and done, I'm going to take a hundred year long nap."

"What will you do here?" After I'm gone. Sakura left the rest of the words unsaid.

"I think it's time I return to the spirit realm with the others. Courage and Love, will have to make it back on their own."

"You aren't going to stay here?" Sakura was a little shocked by Harken's announcement.

"Helath will remain for all time for the Nuwan. For me however," she paused and then shook her head, "It's just like Lady Hogosha says. A thousand years is a long time to hide," Harken's lips twisted into a self recriminating smile that made Sakura's heart ache.

The shaman stood to her feet when Itachi stopped at the gate. She asked softly, "Will you be seeing me off then?"

When she turned for Harken's answer, her eyes widened when the Guardian didn't respond. Instead she shook her head and whispered, "Goodbye, Sakura."

Before Sakura could respond, the figure of the Guardian shimmered and waved. The colors mixing and mingling. In the breathe of a moment she was gone. Not just from sight, but Sakura could no longer sense her. Even the ribbon had disappeared with Harken.

"Farewell, Hana."

Unbeknownst to Sakura, every shaman in the village felt the change and all bowed their heads and shut their eyes in silent reverence.

Throat constricting, Sakura stepped off of the porch and went to meet Itachi and the others. She gazed up at him, her mouth set in a thin line as she forced herself to stave off the waves of emotion threatening to consume her. Her voice broke when she managed to ask, "Is it time to leave?"

"Aa."

She didn't dare to look back over her shoulder at the cottage. If she did, her heart would break, and then Itachi would have to drag her out of here weeping. She refused to return to Konoha with puffy eyes. She wanted to walk through the gate with her head held high.

He led her to the edge of the village, where the others were waiting for them. When she saw who was already at the gate, her sorrow was forgotten for a short span of time. Tyoril, Haldir, and Meesha stared right back at them. Dressed in their cloaks, with each clasp representing their clans polished until they gleamed. Sakura could feel nothing but pride, knowing that these brave Nuwan were of the same race as she.

"These are the ones traveling with us?' Sakura whispered up at Itachi.

"Aa."

Blinking back tears, Sakura murmured, "I'm glad."

"You say that now. Just wait until we get home," Itachi muttered back. He was for one, not looking forward to the others reactions when they arrived.

Sakura stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. She winked when onyx orbs snapped down at her, "What is it that Kakashi says? Yare, yare…"

"All right, let's get a move on. We're going to be late, if we don't get going," Haldir announced loudly, amused by the couple's antics.

Sakura gasped when Itachi reached down and pulled her into his arms. He nodded at the trio of Nuwan in front of him and before she could take her next breath, they were moving. She watched the shrine warriors curiously as they kept pace with Itachi. Instead of traveling by tree branch as was the shinobi way, they moved across the forest floor at a ground eating pace.

Her heart picked up speed when reality rose up to meet her. She was going home.


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N: It's not long, but here's a short bonus chapter to herald the New Year. I hope you all enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

**Chapter 34**

Naruto glanced up when he realized that the strange azure, glowing pyreflies slowly began to circle one another and converge together, lending the shadowy darkness an almost eerie light.

He glanced to the side when his father stated calmly, "It seems that they will be on time."

Kakashi's mask crinkled when he smiled beneath the black cloth, "And you're surprised. This is Itachi Uchiha, we're talking about."

Sasuke was about to speak, but the orb in front of them suddenly flashed a grew, tendrils of blue melting and melding with shades of aquamarine appeared on the once vacant altar. Tentacles of light extended outwards, spiraling and wrapped around the ornate rocky pillars.

The shinobi tensed as two human shaped shadows formed with the aquamarine abyss. When Itachi's form appeared before them first, a strangled sound emitted from Sasuke's throat. He met his older sibling's eyes and immediately the younger Uchiha felt conflicting emotions that wrestled deep somewhere in the pit of his gut. Relief and anger warred when his brother continued to hold his gaze unwavering and unashamed.

Then, all attention was on the orb of light when the sound of a bell echoed into the cave. Sakura emerged next, her form ensconced in regal soft blue garments that seemed to glow in the glow of the pyreflies.

They were all somewhat shocked by the warm, and surprisingly kind smile she gave them all before stepping aside. They hadn't know what to expect, but a smiling Sakura was not it.

Shikamaru murmured something unintelligible under his breath.

Kakashi angled his lanky frame in a better position to guard the Yondaime, as three cloaked figures appeared with hoods covering their faces.

The aquamarine orb collapsed on itself just as the last figure fully formed and in a spark of azure the pyreflies were once again flitting about in the depths of the cavern silently, and unassuming just as they had before.

One by one they pulled back their hoods, revealing their fine features, colorful hair and almost jewel-like eyes.

The first male that pulled back his hood first, long straight forest green hair spilling out in one smooth motion. He was garbed in the brown cloak that was clasped with silver wolf at the neck. He stepped forward and bowed graciously. He introduced himself, his slightly accented voice and melodic tones filled the cavernous space, his dark green eyes landing on each shinobi staring straight right back at him, "I am Haldir Taiki. We are grateful that you would come meet us this morning."

The second one removed the grey covering, her blood red hair shimmering with a glossy sheen beneath the blue glow of the pyreflies, her startling stern wine gaze honed straight in on the Hokage immediately. Fingers shot up to cover the eagle's talon clasp that connected her cloak. It was the only indicator of her trepidation. Her introduction was clipped, and her tone icy but not unfriendly, "Meesha Hogosha."

The final stranger reached up and pulled down the dark viridian material that covered his features. Hair as azure as the pyreflies themselves slowly revealed itself, the two ponytails clasped on each side of his cheeks fluttered slightly against the cloth when it finally fell between his shoulder blades, his navy eyes wary and guarded. His falcon's crest gleamed in the soft light that lit the shadowy cave, the symbol in and of itself matched his hawkish visage. He wasn't as curt as the Nuwan before him, "I am Tyoril Hanta, Gatekeeper."

Sakura herself felt on edge when Minato strode around Kakashi, even as an almost strangled sound came from the gray haired shinobi. He came to the base of the stairs, his shoulders taunt but his expression not hostile as he himself greeted them, "Minato Uzumaki. I am the Hokage of Konoha, formerly known as Ixion. I personally came to welcome you."

When Minato's flinty, azure gaze came to rest on her, she tried not to wilt noticeably. She knew he was upset with her, but even still, she did not look away until he averted his gaze once again.

Turning her head, she looked at Sasuke first. Immediately she went down the steps and walked straight up to her brother in law. He didn't even have time to react when she reached forward and pulled him into a tight embrace. She whispered in a hushed voice that no one could hear but him, "Please forgive me."

Sasuke didn't respond, his arms still hanging at his sides even as he stiffened beneath her sudden closeness.

He didn't even have a chance to respond properly when she quickly pulled away and moved to return to Itachi's side.

Sakura had already known, he realized privately, that Itachi leaving the way he had would cause him the grief and anger that it had. He looked down at his bandaged hand silently musing over the young woman's reaction and at his own conflicted thoughts.

Shikamaru announced suddenly over the deafening silence, ignoring Sakura's interaction with the younger Uchiha male, "We already have a place for your stay at the base of the hill, where Sakura's shrine resides. Will that be satisfactory to you all?"

"Thank you for your consideration. That is more than we could have expected," Haldir replied in his calm, serene way.

As their bizarre group trekked out of the cave, with shinobi firmly planted at the front and at the back, it did not escape the Hokage's notice the way the strangers also placed themselves in a protective but not unobtrusive formation around Sakura.

When they finally all stepped out into the sunlight, the shrine warriors immediately stopped and stared out into the immediate canopy of trees - even as the precession was set to move forward.

Sakura rolled her eyes heavenward when she felt but didn't see the Hyuuga's squad. She knew from her own experience, that they were likely hiding their chakra signatures. It had never worked on her, and she highly doubted it would get past the finely tuned senses of well trained shrine warriors. She rubbed her face with the heel of her palm, hiding her almost pained expression when the Hokage stopped and turned to look back at them. She shook her head.

Itachi spoke up in her stead, "I should have included the information with my letter. It is of no use to a shinobi to conceal themselves from…" he tilted his head towards the trio of warriors, indicating the rest with the movement.

When Minato's expression morphed into one of shock, and he didn't immediately respond Sakura raised her voice for those cloaked beneath the leaves of the trees loud enough for them to hear her. She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side almost saucily, her mouth twisting into one of wry amusement, "It didn't work then, and it doesn't work now. Get down here Neji, and the rest of you - while you're at it. And take those bed sheets off and say hello."

At the words bed sheets, Tyoril's expression morphed into one of such of confusion, that all Sakura could do was chuckle openly.

Minato's lips thinned into a firm line, but when he realized that his 'guests' were not going to move he issued a quick signal and within but a moment - the squad he had positioned personally in the trees as a lookout appeared to the side of their group.

Naruto himself, looked at the shocked expressions of the other shinobi and he shook his head. Even _he_ remembered Sakura finding them immediately back when the four of them had hidden in the trees around her house at the Third Hokage's command.

Ignoring the sudden tension that flared up between the shinobi and shrine warriors as soon as the jig was up, he strode straight over to Sakura and laid a friendly arm over her shoulders even though the motion drew several sets of eyes on them, "Oy Sakura - I have to say, the short hair kinda fits you. I like it. You wanna go get a bowl of ramen at Ichiraku's or something, while they all figure it out?"

Naruto didn't even flinch when Itachi turned a hard stare straight at him. He just continued to give Sakura an almost cheesy, toothy grin.

Something about the blond's easy going rambunctious nature caused the tension, though not Itachi's piercing eyes to melt away.

"You truly are an endless ramen pit, but it does sound pretty good," Sakura agreed still smiling at him. She hadn't had anything for breakfast after all.

Neji's group approached. It was Tenten who looked a bit embarrassed by the whole ordeal. Rock Lee however seemed to be somewhat impressed by the newcomers. He had felt the redhead's gaze almost pierce straight through him, and the fact of the matter was, he didn't really have chakra to track in the first place.

It was the Hokage who cleared his throat, "I can only apologize for my blatant display of distrust."

Again it was Haldir that spoke up, "Perhaps I only speak for myself but I cannot say that I feel insulted and not consider myself a hypocrite. We are all wary of each other. The choice you made concerning this whole situation is not something we ourselves, do not understand."

The shrine warrior surprised them all when he walked straight up to the Hokage, with several purposeful strides. The shinobi around him tensed, but then could only stare when Haldir held out his hand, his open palm facing up.

He waited quietly, and his patience was rewarded when the Hokage placed his hand in the other warrior's and it was like this that they shook hands.

Meesha and Tyoril completely relaxed then.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. To the other side of her Shikamaru mirrored her reaction.

Naruto slowly removed his arm from Sakura's shoulders when he realized that particular look in the ANBU Captain's eyes.

Finally, the precession made its way down the hill towards Konoha. Sakura was secretly grateful for the shoes on her feet as they made the trek. She would never forget her night run up the hill in her barefeet. Ever. Just the memory alone made something on the inside of her want to wince.

As they walked, Minato started to speak, "I will have to apologize to you all. The council is still angered by Sakura's actions. They have immediately called for a meeting upon her arrival. They are aware of you, as well." He gestured towards the trio of Nuwan, "You are welcome to join, if you wish."

Before they could respond, Sasuke added in a low voice directed more to Itachi than anyone else, "The Uchiha clan council was also upset by the events that sprung up due to the situations that resulted because of her actions as well. They have sent Toshio-sama to attend, and father will be there as well."

At that, a part of Sakura's heart sunk. She remembered her first meeting with her husband's clan leaders and it hadn't gone well. At all. She wanted to groan out loud, but the stubborn side of her didn't let her apprehension show on her face. She had expected this, and to be honest, everything was going much better than it could have. At least at the moment.

Meesha replied curtly, "It is of no question that we will preside at this meeting. The decisions she chose to make…" the shrine warrior faltered a moment and then decidedly shook her head, "Our reasons matter little. We will attend. Thank you for the opportunity to do so."

"It is settled then," The Hokage nodded at the Nuwan.

Minato was a bit taken aback by the warrior's reply. When they reached the city's gates, he turned to them then, "Shikamaru here," he gestured towards the dour-faced male, "will escort you to your temporary residence. Please speak to him if there is anything you need taken care of. Neji," he indicated the silver eyed shinobi with a quick smooth movement, "will come to pick you up. The meeting will be conducted in an hour."

And it was with that, that Shikamaru led the trio of warriors away and into the village. Neji and his squad filed into the city as well, without a backwards glance at them.

Sakura and Itachi remained behind.

She surreptitiously glanced at her stone-faced husband and inwardly released a sigh. That particular expression had never bode well.

Kakashi muttered out loud, "Well, that was rather awkward."

Sakura once again met Minato's eyes, her expression calm. His face mirrored her own, but his blue eyes were tempestuous with banked anger. A small part of her wanted to apologize right then and there, beneath the look he gave her. But then another part reminded her that, in all the choices she made, even if they didn't seem like the best ones at the time - it could and most likely would save Konoha. They all had ran into the Bijuu once, but they still had no real idea of what they were capable of.

Truthfully, if she were to be completely honest, Sakura had to admit that she really didn't know either. They were spirit beings that were deeply angered by the Guardians' and her peoples' actions towards them. Their intentions were still unknown and that alone was to make her apprehensive.

He told her, in words he didn't bother to sugar coat, "If it were up to me… You wouldn't be left loose in the city, but considering everything - we chose not to take a chance and _anger _our _sudden_ guests. I only hope for _your _sake that you have a very, _very _good reason," his eyes shifted to Itachi then, his regard turning frosty as he did so, "for _disobeying _my orders."

Minato then pivoted sharply on his heel before striding away, his long gait carrying him past the gates.

When he was out of earshot, Naruto just shook his head, "In his defense. He's more upset that you just didn't come to him than anything else."

Kakashi added in a low voice, "I can't say I understand what the hell is going on, but I think it's even more than that. There isn't many shinobi that wouldn't go to him in a time of need. I think Sakura, you're behavior just shows him that he has a long way to go before he will be able to gain the trust of the original residents of this village."

Sakura blurted out, "Can you guys come too? To the meeting, I mean? I want everyone there. I think you all have the right to know…" she turned to Sasuke then, "Especially you."

Sasuke only shook his head. He responded in a dull tone that caused his older brother to frown when he stared straight through him, "That still remains to be seen. I will think about it."

When they were left standing alone at the gate, Sakura reached up and cupped Itachi's cheek. He glanced down at her, staring straight into her eyes.

Standing up on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The moment her lips parted, he deepened the kiss between them, his arm wrapping firmly around her waist. He pulled her flush against him until they were nearly fused together, the hunger between them intensifying with each caress of his tongue against her own.

His other hand moved up, fingertips grazing against sensitized flesh as his palm adjusted to cradle the back of her head, his fingers burying themselves up to his knuckles in her soft, pink hair.

Itachi gloried in the taste and the scent of her. The feel of her soft body yielding so graciously beneath his touch was nearly his undoing.

She moved to pull back, and he responded by growling softly against her lips and nipping at them lightly. She smiled against the onslaught, before succumbing to it once more. It was he, who chose to release her, but he didn't remove his touch from her just yet.

Her mouth still glistened with moisture. Hungry, black eyes caught the small movement when she took up her slightly swollen lower lip between her teeth in a nervous reaction that he knew all too well.

He reached down and cupped her cheeks gently between his palms, "He will understand. Have faith in the Hokage of this village and in the Nuwan that came to support you. I…" he paused almost as if uncertain of what to say. An unusual reaction from him, which ironically enough - made Sakura feel better about the whole situation. It didn't make her feel so alone in her feelings.

She grasped his wrist with tentative fingers, her heart still singing from the kiss. Sakura smiled up at him, "I know. I'm just…" She herself shook her head, also at a loss for words, "I don't know either, to tell you the truth."

He released her, only to have her warm, almost too large green eyes searching him out. Her hand shot out to snatch the appendage that he had drawn back, only to lace her fingers through his in a firm grip that almost made _him _smile.

Even with all that lay before her, Sakura could only continue to smile when Itachi beckoned her forward with a warm tenor, that he reserved only for her, "Come."

In an hour, Sakura would have to stand before the council. But, even with that in mind - she was ready. It was time that everyone knew the truth, and a large part of her was excited by the knowledge that she could finally release the burden she had carried so long from her shoulders completely.

She was home.


	36. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

**Chapter 35**

Sakura really ached to run up the hill and straight into her shrine, but she knew that by the time she cut across the village and made it home - she would have to turn right back around and head to the Hokage's Tower for the meeting.

She knew she could ask Itachi to carry her, but she was tired of being carted around. Now that her feet was completely healed up, she wanted to walk on her own two feet.

Her stomach grumbled at her, and she toyed with the idea of eating at the ramen shop as Naruto had suggested - but she knew the moment she stepped out in front everyone in that circular room that she had visited more times than she would like to admit that she would likely become physically ill.

Itachi seemed to sense her internal struggle. He asked her openly, "Would you prefer to just head over that way?"

Exhaling slowly, she mulled over the query and then finally acceded, "I think that would be best."

"I will meet you there," he agreed, and then added in quieter voice, "I would like to speak with my parents beforehand…"

Even though his blank, calm mask was in place, Sakura understood. He wanted them to them to understand why things had occurred the way they had. She dipped her chin, and watched with thoughtful green eyes as he cut into the crowd of villagers and by the time she blinked he was swallowed by the wave of villagers and out of her immediate sight.

Turning once again, she briskly made her way to the tower.

When she entered, no one was there to greet her or escort her. It didn't matter. She knew the way by heart. Climbing the stairwell, she ruminated on the past two weeks. On her immediate arrival to the village, she had felt at peace about everything, but as the time began to draw closer to reveal everything the less sure she grew.

Sakura wanted to, and would tell the truth - but she feared that they would choose not to believe her. She didn't have Hana here with her. She had no proof other than the attack that the Bijuu had made to force her to their will.

Shaking her head, she reached for the handle of the door. Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin when a male hand shot past her face and braced itself against the door frame. Engulfed by a looming shadow, she slowly turned. Tilting her chin upwards, emerald orbs widened when she realized who it was, "Sasuke? What…" She thought he wouldn't show up.

"You couldn't even allow me the pleasure of being angry at him."

Lowering her gaze, her lids fell half mast. "If you should be upset at anyone, then you should be angry with me." She tried to peer straight up into his tempestuous gaze, but immediately failed. Turning her face away from his, she stepped aside to give herself some space, "I was the one who asked him to come with me, at the last moment. I wasn't even sure that it was possible to return, but I was still selfish enough to…"

As her soft voice trailed away, Sasuke gazed down at the crown of Sakura's lowered head. Her shoulders were slumped and her entire frame at that moment seemed so small to him. Fragile.

In that moment, he had a slight epiphany. In the end it was her bravado that had made her seem larger than she really, truly was.

She seemed so vulnerable and it could only make him wonder, what had happened to make her change so drastically.

He reached past her, and opened the door for her, "You better go inside. Everyone should be arriving soon."

"Are you going to be there?"

Sakura looked up into his impenetrable dark eyes, so much like his sibling's. She couldn't quite tell what he was thinking but apart of her was relieved that he at least didn't look so guarded and angered.

"At first, I wasn't going to," Sasuke replied as he ushered her inside, "But when I thought about it, I don't think I can stand not knowing why."

The shaman could only nod, as she picked out an open seat. She sat down, and slowly shut her eyes. There was not much else she could say to the younger Uchiha. At least, not yet.

It wasn't long until people she recognized filtered inside. Minato was the first besides them to enter the large room. She hid the smile that wanted surface when she caught the surprise on his stern face, at her already being there and accompanied by her brother in law of all people, who was calmly sitting next to her.

She shut her eyes, and with every bit of internal fortitude she could muster, she forced herself to be patient and wait for the proceedings. Sakura decided that the wait alone was the worst part of it all. When she opened her eyes, and glanced at the clock perched on the wall at the at the back center of the room, she took the last few minutes and allowed her gaze to pan slowly over the occupants of the room.

Just as Sasuke had said they would come, Toshio and Fugaku was there sitting in the back row. If looks could kill, she would have keeled over by the open glare that Toshio was already sending her way. It was all she could not to roll her eyes at him.

Averting her eyes, she searched out her great aunt Utatane, and Mitokado who had just arrived. That sight alone brought back a slew of memories. The Nuwan, Shikamaru and Neji were also in attendance. Sakura sent Meesha a tentative smile. The Nuwan caught the gesture and inclined her head politely in response.

Naruto was the next through the door. The moment his eyes landed on them, he immediately made his way over to sit next both her and Sasuke.

Sasuke murmured next to her, "Interesting. We already have a few Captains present, but not the teams themselves with the exceptions of Naruto and myself."

Sakura muttered just loud enough that Sasuke and Naruto caught her grumbling, "They're going to drag me to jail, and throw away the key - I just know it."

Sasuke's lips twitched at Sakura's sudden rambling.

It was then that Itachi finally strode through the door. Behind him was the Sandaime, the former Hokage with a notably grumpy expression on his wizened features. The moment they were inside, the Yondaime shut the door behind them with a firm click. Sakura tried not to flinch in her seat when she heard the bolt follow suit.

Minato strode to the center of the room, his entire being exuding authority. All eyes were immediately riveted on him. He angled his head in such a way, that he wasn't quite facing her, but his pupils shifted to the side to peer hard at her.

Sakura couldn't help herself. She visibly squirmed in her seat.

His deep voice washed over his audience, when he began to speak, "I believe that everyone is assembled. We will immediately start at the heart of this matter?"

He turned to face her with an unyielding look that spoke volumes.

The young woman swallowed hard past the cottony feel that had suddenly taken residence in the deep confines of her throat. She nodded at him, and stood to her feet. Sakura tried her best to keep her face in a mask of calm.

"Come forward before the council and the guests of Konoha," He took one step to the side to allow her room and gestured to the spot on the dark brown carpet next to him.

Lifting her chin high, Sakura continued to privately remind herself that she had done what was necessary. She had absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. That particular chant in her head grew weaker when she drew to the center of the room and stood next to the imposing figure of the young Hokage.

Her mind reeled when she stopped to look at the semi circle of seats filled with people who supported her, and those who did not. It was definitely far more imposing than facing the Nuwan council had been. They had not known her personally, so they had not judged her.

Folding her hands together into the bells of her chalcedony sleeves, she looked down at the bell dangling on her wrist for a few moments. Raising her chin, her gaze riveted on her audience. Deciding to be completely honest, but she was at a loss as what to speak about first. There were things that she had just recently started to understand herself.

Shaking her head, she began slowly, "There's so much to say, I'm not certain as where to start. Everything… that's happened - so many of the things that occurred before all of you arrived in this village, has so much to do with the events as they are, where would you like me to begin?" She turned and stared straight up into Minato's down turned face, her large green expressive eyes peering into his assessing, cold azure orbs.

Sakura knew she was going to tell them all the truth, but a huge part of her balked at the idea of going into as much detail as she had with the Nuwan council. There were some personal things that really wasn't pertinent to this discussion and she wasn't sure she could bring herself to speak so openly with them.

Silence ensued her query for what seemed like forever.

Shikamaru folded his arms across his chest and he spoke up, suggesting in that dry tone of his, "I would suggest starting at the beginning, but perhaps you should initiate with what's relevant to our current situation. Why did you go against the Hokage's strict orders of house arrest? Despite whatever occurred, you did choose to escape from the hospital and created quite a bit of damage along the way, might I add. I'm assuming that horrible fog that wouldn't go away until late morning was your doing as well."

At the mention of the fog, several pairs of eyebrows twitched irritably.

"I …" Sakura paused and then sighed and shook her head. Gathering her thoughts she began again, "Ha - excuse me, I mean Lady Harken asked me to take her to Helath. The current body she was borrowing was horribly damaged by her skirmish with Kyuubi-sama. I'm sure you remember the two men that invaded the village during the festival?" At Shikamaru's encouraging nod, she pressed on, "It wasn't until I faced those Bijuu that I discovered Lady Harken was in fact a Guardian herself. The only way I could help her was to take her to the Nuwan."

"Lady Harken?" Shikamaru pressed.

"The cat," Itachi spoke up coolly, his gaze rising to meet Shikamaru's.

Shikamaru peered straight back at the ANBU Captain, "So considering that Sakura is a shaman - whatever that entails - that in itself spurred her to do what she did?" He rubbed at his chin and then started again, his gaze shifting to encompass her once more, "With that said, you mentioned everything started well before the Konoha Alliance settled here. Are we to assume that you are talking about your parents' murder?"

Sakura winced noticeably by the cold and emotionless way he asked.

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, "No. It started long before I was born. That in itself brings me to the crux of this matter. The Bijuu. The cracking of the sky you witnessed was the opening the of the gate that my clan guarded since the Nuwan split and went their separate ways. In doing so they released seven more. All nine are now free."

At that, both Hokages past and present faced her with slowly widening eyes as the comprehension of what she had just revealed seeped into their minds.

"And you kept this secret from us knowingly?" The Sandaime stood straight up. His frame went rigid and his wizened face contorted into a mask of palatable anger.

"I did not know what the gate contained until it happened. I also did not realize I was the conduit that was needed to open it. Ask my aunt, Lady Koharu. We did not know. All we were ever told was that it was to be protected."

When all gazes swept towards the old woman, she slowly inclined her head in agreement, "Not even my father knew what the gate truly was. All we knew was that it was the shrine keeper's duty to protect it. We were taught to revere the Bijuu, not fear them."

"Then what happened? Why did you fail to protect it?" Toshio hissed out suddenly, the bitter note in his voice didn't go missed by any in the audience. His dark brown eyes held a gleam of disbelief that would have normally made her bristle and snap back in other circumstances. However, Sakura could understand where he was coming from.

"It was either I chose to protect the gate, or Kyuubi and Shukaku would have razed this village and everyone in it to the ground. I won't apologize for choosing to protect Konoha. Unfortunately none of the shinobi here was able to stop them," Sakura shrugged helplessly and then added, her tone softening substantially, "Even the Hokages didn't have a chance against them."

"This sounds like a bunch of nonsensical fantasy to me," Toshio grit out, the wrinkles in his brow deepening. He crossed his arms over his chest, "Guardians, Bijuu… all of this means nothing in comparison to your disobedience to the Hokage's direct orders."

Mitokado slowly nodded, agreeing with Toshio completely. He decided to interject, "He has a point. The Hokage's decisions reflect his desire to protect this village. I still haven't heard anything that causes me to believe that you were attempting to do the same, however misguided it may seem."

"Homura," Lady Utatane hissed out next to him.

"What? You yourself didn't believe in this nonsense before. What changed?" He growled back at the old woman.

"I never said that I didn't believe. I just chose not to follow the path of my father." The old woman lashed back, her gray brows winging down crossly.

It was then that the three shrine warriors stood to their feet, drawing all eyes in the room back to them.

Tyoril was the first to speak. The commanding tone of the Gatekeeper drew all eyes to him, "Are you inferring that our existence is nonsense? If it were so, then Lady Sakura would not have returned to her people. Are we not standing with you in this room? We are here to assist not only the shrine warrior, but all of you as well against the threat of the Bijuu."

Silence ensued his query.

The Yondaime rubbed the bridge of his nose tellingly, and then turned to face the warriors, "You will have to forgive him. All of this is very new to us."

"Hah. New? It sounds like a bunch of obscure religious babble to me. I see no evidence of this Guardian, that you said was a … cat you said?" Toshio aimed a smug look in Sakura's direction.

Releasing her pent breath, Sakura realized that she would have no choice but to show them something. Anything, that would lend credence to what she had just said. After it was all said and done, the looks of abject disbelief sent her way, minus a select few was in some ways partly her fault.

Stretching out her hands, she slowly shut her eyes and allowed her connection to the Guardians to shift into place. Visible yellow chakra snaked down her arm, as the stark green ivy vines slowly climbed up her neck settled and curled into her cheeks. When she opened her eyes, pupil-less vividly eerie green stared right back at them.

"Lady Meesha, who are the shamans?" Sakura asked the other Nuwan quietly.

"They are the ones who speak to the spirits in all of mankind's place," the redhead responded before shifting back into her seat, "They are called to protect the balance."

"Lord Haldir, who are the shrine warriors?"

"We are the protectors of the shamans. We are their sword as they are the world's shield," his soothing tenor filled the quiet room.

Sakura nodded at him gratefully with a small smile adorning her lips. She turned to the Yondaime then, staring straight up into his startled features, "It is as he says. I hear things and sense things that others do not."

It was Itachi who spoke next, "There were many things that I've come to realize that exist, that I did not before."

"Why did _you _disobey my orders, Captain?" Minato folded his arms against his chest.

Itachi met the older man's gaze. He replied curtly, "She is my wife." And he left it at that, as if that explained everything.

Fugaku could only hide an amused smile. That reply was trademark Itachi, if he'd ever heard one. It explained everything and nothing all at once. An Uchiha trait that Mikoto truly hated.

Only Sakura knew how much that particular response cost him. It was as good as admitting that he hadn't wanted to lose her.

Minato's mouth firmed at the ANBU Captain's answer. That particular Uchiha wasn't known to follow his emotions. His blue gaze slid covertly to the pink haired woman beside him. He could only wonder what Itachi had truly witnessed on the other side. He was neither withholding or admitting to anything. This particular Uchiha was a bit of a bastard that way.

Neji asked Sakura outright, "Who are these Guardians you keep talking about? You keep mentioning them, but I have no idea what they are supposed to be exactly."

Meesha stood up once again, her hawkish expression catching and holding the Hyuuga's. She replied in Sakura's stead, "Would you mind if I explained?"

The Hyuuga shook his head, "I don't care who, just as long as someone actually does."

With that the shrine warrior swept to the front of the room, her robes trailing gracefully in her wake. She slowly stretched out her arms, "I will explain to you, the way we explain it to our children."

Several pairs of eyes in the room widened as Meesha began to effuse an arresting mix of malachite and azure chakra. The wisps mingled with Sakura's own, and then Meesha gently swirled her arms in a circular motion and in doing so a globe of sorts formed.

It was then she started to explain in melodic tones that wafted in the lobes of her listeners' ears, "In the constant flow of life and death, there are many layers that make up the world."

With deft fingertips she tugged at the yellow strands emitting from Sakura and with an agility that none expected she wove the yellow into her own chakra even further, creating layers of color, "Each have a part in keeping the balance. If the world is a globe, then the Guardians are the staff the hold up the world. They watch over and protect all life. The humans live in the physical realm," she indicated the green, and then gestured towards the blue, "The Nuwan and the Bijuu live in-between." She tugged at the yellow, "And the Guardians are at the heart of the spirit realm. Guardians are the maintainers of the spirit realm and they hold command over all the spirits that exist on the spirit plane. Lady Sakura is a shaman. As one it is her duty to connect the spirits," she pointed to the yellow once again, and then to the green and blue, "to the rest of us."

"You mean to say that she can communicate with these… spirits?" Neji ventured to ask.

Slowly Meesha dipped her chin, "Yes. I have heard that the wind spirits love to tickle the lobes of the shamans always."

"When I first awoke as a shaman, it was a bit disconcerting. I would hear them constantly. It took me awhile to adjust," Sakura admitted in a quiet voice.

Minato ignored Sakura's quiet confession and faced Meesha directly, "How do you plan to deal with this -" he paused as if looking for a proper word to express the events that had recently transpired, "situation?"

"With your permission, we would like to train with Lady Sakura and Itachi. Before we are able to stand up to the Bijuu, we would like to prepare accordingly." Meesha added deftly when visible signs of protest emerged on the Hokage's face, "Of course, we understand that it is likely that you would like to supervise the interaction. Actually we would welcome it. Personally, I want everyone involved to completely comprehend what is happening and why. We…" she gestured towards the other Nuwan present, "have absolutely nothing to hide."

"You understand _our _hesitance." It was a statement, not a question.

Sakura spoke up then, her frame slightly quivering, "I do."

Minato turned and looked down into her upturned face. He arched a brow at the small woman.

Sakura took refuge in the fact that the cold and barely veiled fury had finally left his iceberg eyes.

"Looking back at everything, I realize now that I should have come to you. Trusted you," she openly admitted.

"Where is this Lady Harken now?" Shikamaru inquired curious. In an odd way, he wanted to meet this enigmatic individual that had so much to do with the recent events as they were.

At Sakura's suddenly saddened countenance, he almost regretted asking.

Tyoril responded in Sakura's stead, his navy eyes mirroring the shaman's melancholy, "Our Lady returned to the realm of the Guardians. The cat's body passed away shortly after Lady Harken returned to her original spirit body. Because Guardians do not possess flesh, she was unable to return with us."

"Without physical evidence of her existence, why should we believe any of this nonsense?" Toshio growled out.

"I suppose you could just attempt to imprison or banish me. Just don't blame me when everything is turned to ashes," Sakura snapped back at the Uchiha council member.

The ivy on her skin retreated and her eyes slowly returned to normal. She splayed her palms out towards Minato in supplication. What else did he want from her? She couldn't undo what was already done. She could however, work her ass off to do everything she could for Konoha and for everyone she had come to care about.

Sakura lowered her hands and shrugged, "I chose to return even though I could have stayed in Helath and avoided the consequences."

The Sandaime raised his hand and in doing so captured the attention of everyone in the room. He cleared his throat, "There is no point of debate in this discussion any longer. I think that the request from our visitors is more than reasonable. Those of us who fought the intruders know full well that they are indeed a looming threat that we don't quite understand."

The shinobi present shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

The Yondaime finally agreed, his eyes closing in the face of the former Hokage's announcement, "In this case, hesitance isn't the best way to deal with this situation."

Toshio was the only one to voice his opinion then, "You can't tell me you aren't going to buy into this farce?"

Naruto shot back, already beyond frustrated with the old coot, "_You_ weren't there but _we_ were." The blond jabbed a thumb at his chest and then gestured to the others, "I for one, am all for it. Sitting around here isn't going to get things done."

Minato glanced at his son's expression and released a small sigh. He was a bit shocked that Naruto had stayed silent as long as he had. His son had been more than adamant in his defense of Sakura. All those that really _knew _her had.

"Until further notice, this meeting is adjourned. However, I would like to speak with you three." He nodded at the Nuwan trio and then turned to Sakura, "I expect you and Itachi to remain behind as well."

After some grumbling from Toshio and Mitokado, everyone except those requested stayed put.

When they were finally alone, Sakura watched with wide eyes when Minato performed a jutsu.

Itachi stood to his feet in once swift movement. He strode towards Sakura, and came to stand next to her. He took note of the Nuwan's uncertainty at the Hokage's actions and explained, "He is making certain we will have no eavesdroppers."

Tyoril's rigid countenance relaxed, "Understood."

Minato admitted to Sakura with a weird smile on his face, "With everything said, I don't know whether to be angry at you for your secrecy, or for the fact that you seemed to have corrupted one of the best shinobi I have."

Sakura merely grinned back, "Perhaps both."

Meesha cut in, "So will you agree to our request?"

"I see that you prefer not to waste time," the Hokage faced the shrine warrior.

This was met with silence. The woman's hawkish gaze never left his for one moment.

Haldir gave the Hokage a small smile as if apologizing for the redhead's abrupt manner, "Indeed it is just her way. We understand if you'd like to take some time to think about it."

Minato shook his head. His visage morphed into a serious and hard flinty mask. He openly admitted, "I wish it was that simple. Try to understand that I hold the safety of all villagers on my shoulders. It's not as if I don't agree with your intentions or otherwise."

"Standing here accomplishes nothing then. Do you have a practice field of some kind? Come with us there, and see what we do for yourself. We will openly share with you. After of which we will abide by your decision without argument. Bring whatever forces you wish to ensure our compliance," Tyoril crossed his hands over his chest and met the Hokage's forbidding expression without wavering.

Several long moments waned and stretched while Minato thought over the Gatekeeper's words.

Minato's eyes slid over each and everyone standing around him and when he reached Itachi's dark gaze he paused. Dipping his chin he agreed, "Then let us convene at the practice fields. I will have you escorted there. Until then, I will remain suspended in my decision of your flagrant display of disobedience of my orders. That goes for you as well… Sakura."

"Fair enough," Sakura responded with a calm demeanor that she hadn't known she possessed.

Reaching for Itachi's hand, she slipped her fingers in his and her gesture was met with a comforting squeeze that warmed her from the inside out.

**~0~**

**A/N: **I understand it's been a long while. _**Again. **_The months of February, March, and the beginning of April was nothing in short of painful for me. For 6 weeks of that, I did not live one day with out pain and because of it, I was unable to write. All I could do was lay on my side and wait to heal. It was horrid. I hope for what it's worth that everyone enjoys this chapter. Poor Sakura, I think after all this, the word meeting is going to cause the girl nightmares. And no, I haven't given up on Harken's to some that may ask.


	37. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: Own Naruto, I do not.**

**Chapter 36**

Meesha perused over the spectators, or rather - the Hokage's chosen 'escorts' that were there to make certain their Nuwan guests would remain compliant during this display.

She realized that they were the ones that had been there at their arrival. She still did not know their names, but she supposed for now, it didn't really matter.

The shrine warrior quickly noticed that Lady Sakura was looking a bit pale and nervous. Considering all that the girl had gone through, it was certainly understandable. However she knew that once Sakura moved into the natural flow of things, she would relax.

Moving over to the couple with purpose, she stopped in front of them. She explained to Itachi, "What we are about to do, is something that you will have to learn to do as well."

The slight raise of his brow was the only indicator that what she had said surprised him, however Meesha caught it. She smiled at him, her wine colored eyes sparkling with amusement, "Yes. We already know. I sensed the change in you. You reek of Guardian. I assume that you have been given a gift."

He hesitated a moment before giving a minute nod, "Aa."

"Good. Now," Meesha sucked in a deep breath before turning to Sakura, "Do you understand why your physical appearance changes when you summon the staff? Or what the vines represent? For shamans, the signs of the bond varies depending on the clan you come from. What is your crest?"

"An empty white circle. My father told me that it was the representation of the unending cycles of all life. Balance," Sakura responded immediately.

"A very majestic and fitting form indeed," Meesha dipped her chin respectfully before turning to Tyoril, "Are you ready to show them how this is done?"

Navy eyes flit towards the shaman, and he started to tread towards Sakura with Haldir still watching from a polite distance. Lifting his arms, he held out both hands. His fingers slowly curled around the hilts of double-bladed swords forming in his palm as blue and green, smoky tendrils snaked down over his elbows and wrists.

He ignored the stares of those watching him with open curiosity and kept his gaze trained on the lone, small woman.

"Our way is simple. Direct and redirect. That is all," navy orbs flit to the shinobi standing next to her, "this is something you must learn if you wish to protect her."

Itachi met his gaze, but said nothing even as Tyoril returned his attention to Sakura.

He commanded her, "Summon the spirits. That is all you must do for now."

Blinking at him thrice, Sakura swallowed hard and caught her lower lip between her teeth. It wasn't that it was hard for her to do, it just felt a little odd with so many shinobi watching her. When she met Tyoril's unwavering gaze, she squared her shoulders and shut her eyes.

Holding her breath, she allowed the familiar sensations to flow through her. Her lids slid open, and she asked him even as her eyes bled green, "Do you have a preference?"

"None."

Nodding, Sakura called forth the nearby water spirits that lingered in the earth below her feet. Moments passed, and the feet of her audience shuffled a tad nervously when blue wisps curved out of the grass beneath her sandals.

"To me," Tyoril explained gently, crooking a finger in his direction tellingly. This was as much of a training session for the young, unseasoned shaman as it was a spectacle for the clueless shinobi.

Wordlessly, seamlessly Sakura shifted slightly. The back of her hand curved as she spun instinctually, and in doing so made an elegant sweeping motion as she whispered softly, "Go on now."

The chakra spirits spiraled and raced towards Tyoril at her polite askance. Raising the weapon resting in his left palm, sharp eyes narrowing, the gatekeeper readied himself and with one arcing cut through the empty air in front of him; blue morphed into long crescent blades of water that stopped next to the shrine warrior's sword and hovered floating. As if waiting.

Sakura couldn't help it. Her jaw practically unhinged and dropped.

"Direct and redirect," Haldir emphasized again for Sakura's benefit.

With that, Tyoril flung his weapon down. The water blades whistled through the air and right before everyone's eyes, splashed through an oak in the distance, in three direct places.

Sakura's breath caught in her throat with the tree seemed to groan with a loud crack; right before everyone's eyes the trunk shattered in three sections. The old tree protested with one last groaning creak before the canopy crashed to the ground and the chunks of the tree slid off to the side. The sight caused the shinobi at the edge of the practice field behind her to tense up.

The blades in Tyoril's grip disappeared in a puff of blue smoke as Minato approached them with long, ground eating strides.

Never had she seen Naruto's father's face scrunched up like that. The lines around the eyes were wrinkled, but neither was he frowning nor smiling.

Sakura wanted to shrink inside herself when his foreboding expression fell on her. He murmured to himself more than to those standing around him, "So, that's how she did it."

Somehow she had the distinct feeling that he was talking about her _great _escape from the hospital.

Minato finally inquired curtly, "As I'm beginning to understand it, Sakura, you can control elemental spirits, and…" his voice trailed away, but then his sharp eyes fell on Tyoril, "you just directed them. As you described it anyway."

Tyoril nodded, his mouth falling into a thin line, "Yes. That's the gist of it."

"How did you…?" Minato turned to Sakura once again, "escape the hospital without the help of a - shrine warrior?"

"Well actually," she rubbed the back of her neck, somewhat embarrassed to admit it out loud, "I used chakra to open the door. To keep everyone distracted, I summoned the water spirits and told them to err… dance."

She left out the fact that it was one of the Great Ones, who had told her to do it in the first place. Truth be told, Sakura was just tired of explaining things that she barely understood herself. The shinobi looking at her, just didn't understand, that a lot of these things were nearly as new to her as it was to them.

Meesha jumped in, "Shamans _do _have the ability to direct, however with their lack of intention, is what in most situations require a shrine warrior."

"Intention?" Kakashi inquired, his tone reflecting his bemusement.

Sakura sighed. Before anyone else spoke up to explain, she threw up her arms and hissed, "The intention of harming someone." She pointed to the hilt of the wakizashi stationed above his left shoulder, "When you are attacked by an enemy, you draw your sword to fight back. I, lack the _intention, _of driving the sword through someone's heart."

As she spoke, she remembered what Harken had told her. She had the ability to cause massive amounts of destruction should she ever decide that she wanted to. Perhaps, it was the way her race maintained the balance. If shamans went around destroying things, the world would have been a much scarier place.

Bijuus or no Bijuus.

Several seconds ticked by, as one by one, the realization of her clarification hit the shinobi watching her with varying expressions.

Sakura turned away, not knowing what else she could say. Maybe if she forced herself to drive the sword through her enemies, then there wouldn't be an issue of the Bijuu causing Konoha such danger in the first place.

A hand fell on her shoulder, and she found herself looking up into Haldir's green eyes. His warm gaze held a wealth of understanding that caused her to realize, that there were others just like her and that there were those who understood.

Haldir voiced for her, "I know it may be a difficult concept to perceive for those outside our culture, but shamans by nature, have gentle souls. It is integral to a shaman, because without their compassion, we have come to believe that the elemental spirits would not respond. For the elements, there is no good nor evil. Yet, for reasons even we Nuwan do not comprehend, they react to the spirit song of the shamans. For a shrine warrior, the spirits are silent. We can only redirect."

Meesha cut in, in a hard unapologetic voice, "It is balance. Come, we waste time." She faced the Hokage, her wine eyes searing into him, "All we wish to do is to train Sakura to work in tandem with Itachi. The Bijuu will not likely afford us much time, when they find out that we are here."

A half smile curved the line of Minato's mouth at the redhead's impatience, "Straight and to the point. I understand," he turned to point at Kakashi's and Neji's squads, "Stay and keep watch. Take them to grounds, seven - so that they will be given a bit more privacy. I will return later."

The strength of two distinct agreements echoed in the drums of his ears. He told Meesha then, "Do not cause me to regret this trust I have given you."

She smirked at him, her eyes lit with an undisguised gleam of humor, "I can only return your words, Hokage. It is good that we are of an understanding."

Minato shook his head, before pivoting on his heal, his robes flaring out behind him when he walked away.

Sakura glanced at Itachi, feeling the weight of his eyes on her. He was open about his feelings on the subject, "I do not like the idea of your involvement, even if I understand the reason behind it."

His words warmed her from the inside out.

"I know."

Itachi's gaze searched hers, and then wordlessly he turned towards the practice field that the Hokage had mentioned. Everyone followed him, quietly.

When they arrived, everyone fanned out, but Itachi stayed firmly rooted by her side. She squared her shoulders, and hoped that it would all work out. She was a bit afraid of summoning the spirits, and sending them to Itachi only for him to be hit by them.

"Everything will be alright. You just have to trust him implicitly. The spirits will sense that, and then the rest depends on him," Haldir told her, the calm timbre of his voice quieting the insecurity that had taken residence in the deepest part of her.

Kakashi asked, "Would it help to have moving targets? We could in a sense, spar with them, if that would help things along."

Meesha nodded, "That's a good idea. If three of you could assemble at the other end of this field, and then maybe the others stand off over there," she pointed to the west side.

He quickly agreed, "That works. Naruto, Sai… let's go. Sasuke you stay here. Neji, you want to take Tenten, and Lee with you over there?"

Neji's silver eyes were guarded when he allowed his gaze to survey the group. Finally he concurred, with simply a quick incline of the head. Sakura smiled, "Thanks everyone."

A few, you're welcomes were tossed her way, before everyone went to assemble in their designated spots.

Meesha, Tyoril, and Haldir stood in a semi-circle around them, and even though Sasuke stood and watched, he tensed at the spectacle.

"Sakura you understand what to do?" Meesha asked her.

She nodded.

"Itachi, you won't be able to do what Tyoril did, and use your weapons as a redirect. Perhaps, you may already know what you will use?" Haldir inquired, his usually jovial expression devoid of the usual signs of mirth.

"Aa."

"Good. Then we'll start with the basics," Haldir dipped his head at the shinobi.

"Sasuke, I want you to spar with me," Itachi turned to look at his brother, his piercing gaze boring a hole straight into his younger brother.

"Feh, like this is going to be a fair fight," Sasuke smirked at Itachi, his amusement at the command apparent for all to see.

"Use your sharingan and keep up with me. You are the only one who has a chance," as Itachi spoke, he unequipped all of his weapons, including his kunai.

"You want me to stay armed?" Sasuke arced a brow at his sibling.

"Aa."

"Don't get upset, if I kick your ass then," Sasuke's amused expression fell into a mask of seriousness, when he fell into his trademark fighting stance while popping his knuckles and shaking the appendages out.

Itachi glanced at the Nuwan, "I would suggest you move next to Kakashi's squad."

When they looked at Sakura in askance, she agreed with a small smile, "It's probably for the best you see how a shinobi fights at a distance."

Even she moved behind Itachi, centering herself in a position that she could still see what was going on, but not in the direct line of fire.

"Understood," Tyoril inclined his head, and the other Nuwans moved to station themselves next to Kakashi.

Meesha folded her arms, and met her eyes directly.

Sakura nodded. She understood the other woman's concern.

Itachi told her, "I want you to summon whatever you believe is best. I want to get used to your patterns."

"Um, okay," she agreed, and then thought to herself, here goes nothing.

Sakura had to trust in the fact that Itachi had at least some inkling that he knew what he was doing.

Gathering her thoughts, she took a deep breath. She knew they were all waiting for her first move, but she didn't care. Sakura stretched out her hand, and as her eyes were encompassed by green, her staff appeared in her grasp.

Knowing that the Uchiha clan favored fire, she started there. Summoning the fire spirits to her, she shut her eyes as directed it straight at Itachi, who had angled himself sideways, so he could easily gauge her movements.

Not wanting to watch, as with that, Sasuke charged Itachi as soon as the spiraling orange shot straight towards them. She winced at the sound of the earth cracking, and small explosion that followed. She shook her head when she was flecked with bits of dirt. Opening her eyes when there was nothing but silence, her eyes went as wide as Sasuke's when she saw the crater next to him.

Itachi sneered at his brother, "So… are you going to kick my ass or not little brother?"

Sasuke's eyes fell into half slits at his brother's open taunts. He smirked, but said nothing. Instead, he made a gesture for Itachi to come at him.

As Itachi fell into a ground eating run, Sakura once again called to the fire spirits and sent them, his way. This time she kept her gaze pinned to Itachi, as he allowed the spirits to encase his limbs and instead of using a weapon to redirect, he used it to directly enhance his physical attacks.

At first it was all Sasuke could do to dodge his sibling, while Sakura continued to summon and direct. She watched as air enhanced his speed greatly. He used water arced into a blade that cut with his fists, fire increased the strength of his already chakra enhanced kicks, and he caused the earth below his opponent to crumble and give way beneath their feet.

In all of this, he was fast. She had always known, that Itachi was fast, but here - he was moving faster than the naked eye could see. She had to trust that everything she sent his way, he would in a sense, catch and use.

Sasuke it seemed, was holding up his own on his side of things. He was able to dodge his brother, and he managed to fling several shuriken to defend himself against Itachi's onslaught. When Sasuke realized that he wasn't going to be able to go toe to toe with Itachi in his current state, he switched up and started to integrate more jutsus into his attacks.

Sakura felt sweat bead on her brow, when Sasuke used a clone technique. Unlike Naruto, there weren't hordes of copies, but still - there were several. They all charged Itachi at once. One by one as he struck them, they would poof and disappear. So caught up in what she was watching, she was caught by surprise when two masculine arms grappled her from behind.

She bit back the feral growl that wanted to burst from her.

Sasuke whispered in her ear as he placed the kunai to her throat, "Enemies will realize very quickly what's going on. He needs to be able to protect you as well as fight his attackers."

When Itachi turned and caught her eyes, she silently mouthed, "I'm sorry."

Sasuke had a point. It wasn't like she could rely on static shock to get him to release her. He already knew about it. Likewise, even if her attacker didn't know about her odd ability, shocking the crap out of them, would only cause them to slit her throat faster.

Itachi's eyes narrowed on Sasuke. Immediately he started to stalk towards them like a panther, silent and deadly. When the last clone jumped at him, he merely grabbed the clone by the face and threw him violently against the ground, causing it to pop into a smoky poof.

Sasuke goaded his sibling with a sneer, "What are you going to do brother? You know better than to rely on someone else's power. You will be putting her in danger and you know it."

Sakura's eyes slid shut at Sasuke's words, knowing the truth of them. Heck, it was her first time trying out this direct and redirect thing. Harken told her she was naïve and Sakura knew to an extent, that was simply the truth.

It was one thing to assist someone, but most of all she needed to be able to help herself.

Wordlessly, she commanded the earth beneath her feet, and in the blink of an eye, she was shot into the air as the ground below shot up into the air. The force pulled her out of Sasuke's grasp, and she sighed a breath of relief. She knew he wouldn't have harmed her. He was just testing them both, and deep down she was grateful to him for it.

If any of the Bijuu came after her and Itachi, she needed to be able quick decisions. She had faced the Kyuubi before, even if that hadn't gone well, she had relied on her own abilities, and no one else's.

She squeezed her hand and the staff disappeared in a yellow haze. Sakura lined her heels with chakra, the best way she knew how, and jumped down. She pulled herself up to her full height, and she looked at the brothers with a sneaky grin. Just because she didn't want to harm someone else didn't mean that she couldn't use her own ability to communicate with the elemental spirits in her favor.

Itachi came to a stop, his startled gaze coming to rest on her.

She smirked at Itachi and Sasuke all at once, "How about you boys come at me?" When Itachi was about to protest, she shook her finger, "I don't mean with the intent to err… how did you put it Sasuke? To kick my ass. How about…" She put her finger to her lips and tapped it as if she were in thought, "you guys just try to catch me? I think Itachi has the whole direct and redirect down pat, genius that he seems to be."

Sakura turned and placed her hands in the crook of her hips and faced the nin and Nuwan alike, while cupping a hand around her mouth, "Actually, let's play hide and seek neh?"

Naruto practically bounced over, vibrating with his usual youthful vigor, "Oiy Sakura. Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am. I know everyone here is really strong in their own way. I think that it's one thing to assist Itachi, but I need to be able to handle things on my own," she looked at the Nuwan watching her actions curiously, "You guys too."

Neji smirked at her, "With or without jutsus."

"Hmph, if you think you'll need it to catch me," and with a wink directed at her still somewhat baffled onlookers, with a quick and playful whisper to the wind and earth, she was whisked out of sight, first by the air beneath her feet to silence her footfalls, and a thick veil of dust.


	38. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

**Disclaimer: You all know the routine. I do not own Naruto, but I do own Harken and a few other characters in this cracky AU universe that I made up. **

**~0~**

The echo of soft feminine laughter and the tinkle of the bells was all that Sakura left in the wake of her sudden exit.

Naruto looked at everyone around him. He pointed to the exact spot, in an exaggerated jab that enunciated the disbelief the blond seemed to feel, that Sakura had been standing in just moments ago, "Did that just happen?"

Neji could only shake his head at Naruto's antics.

"Well, at the very least, this should be rather interesting," Haldir murmured.

He had never had to chase and catch a shaman before. He smiled at Meesha and Tyoril, his eyes twinkling merrily at the prospect, "This should be fun."

He knew that none of these nin knew exactly what they could be in for. At least that was the feeling that he got, when he saw a mischievous sparkle in the young shaman's eyes.

Tyoril mimicked Neji in that he just shook his head, obviously perplexed by Sakura's strange behavior. He wasn't certain how playing silly games was going to help the situation, but either way, they wouldn't be able to get anything done until someone caught her.

Itachi turned, his eyes narrowing in the direction Sakura went. He said something that pulled everyone's attention to him, "It seems she went in the direction of the forest."

Tenten openly smirked at the announcement, "Well, that was a mistake on her part wasn't it?" She cracked her knuckles, excited by the prospect of a challenge. Catching someone running along the ground was all too easy. She glanced at Rock Lee, "Are we going to give her a head start then?"

Before Rock Lee could reply to his teammate, Meesha shook her head and interrupted briskly, "That's probably not a wise decision."

Sasuke shot the woman a sidelong glance, a piercing look that gave away the fact that he was trying to read into her expression. Somehow, he had the feeling that this was going to be a lot more trouble than it was worth. If there was one thing he could say for certain about his sister in law, was that she was trouble, even at the best of times.

Kakashi snapped his favorite book shut, and slid it into the inside pocket of his green vest. His navy mask crinkled when he smiled, "I suppose we have a stray shaman to catch. If it gets too crazy, I'll summon Pakkun."

The three shrine warriors decided that they had stood around long enough, and took off at a dead run towards the tree line. They all came to a stop when the breeze picked up and once again, they were subject to the tinkle of Sakura's playful laughter, and jingle of the bells that adorned her slender wrists.

They all exchanged a look, when the trees themselves started to sway beneath the light gusts of wind that danced through vivid green canopies.

Meesha glanced at Itachi who had stopped at her side. She murmured under her breath, "I don't think even you'll be able to catch her."

The probing stare that swung her way, only caused her to smile. She could see the question in his dark eyes.

"I can't hear the spirits speak, but I know well enough to realize - that though your wife's intentions, are not in the least bit harmful - are rather mischievous."

Itachi followed the trail of the redhead's openly amused gaze. A frown fixed itself to his face when right at the entrance to the forest beyond, were Sakura's shoes.

**-o-**

Beneath the canopy, Sakura practically glided across the forest floor. She couldn't help but laugh, because the spirits were laughing right along with her. They, it seemed, rather enjoyed this game that she had created. Air, earth and water had let loose with an abandon she hadn't quite expected, causing the trees, born from them to sway.

Branches curved and grappled at her lithe form, as if they too longed to join the game and catch her. She dodged, jumped and spun to avoid the oaks and ash. It caused her to giggle, and she gently patted the trunk of a particularly rambunctious oak. It was a strange, but exhilarating feeling that curled from the deepest pit of her stomach, flaring all the way through her limbs. In her mind's eye, she had the feeling that she just opened an untapped and closed door. She had no idea that in opening herself up so completely, that it would entrench her connection to the elemental spirits on a deeper level that was beyond all rational explanation. One that she would never even have thought possible.

Sakura had challenged everyone to a game that had only been meant as a practice session.

Earth and air, had slipped her out of her shoes. It was as if, she was being invited into their house to play. Before she had ran barefoot in the forest, only for her feet to be torn up in the effort to escape with Hana in tow. Now, she was practically skating over the forest debris, the air itself carrying her ever faster.

Sakura turned her head to look over her shoulder, when she heard Naruto's excited voice, "There she is!"

Giving in to the euphoric instinct that had seemed to take over her, she brush her palm over the trunk of an ash. A soft giggle left her, and she turned to watch as all the trees in the woods surrounding them waved long and sturdy branches, moving sideways just enough that several of the shinobi chasing her, missed their next leap completely.

Naruto was the first one to hit the ground first with a loud curse.

Sakura covered her mouth to stifle the laughter threatening to bubble to the surface. Turning around once again, she weaved with apparent pattern around the trees. The tips of her fingers caressing the branches as they continued to bow and curve, trying to pin her against the bark of their trunk.

When she passed through an open section, where the sun filtered onto the crown of her head, Sakura was forced to come to a immediate stop when Haldir jumped out right in front of her.

She hopped back once, and tilted her head to the side and he caught her green eyes with his. Mirth danced in the depth of his eyes when he mouthed, "Caught you."

Sakura just smiled in response, and cupping the palm of her hand to her mouth, she bade the spirits in a sing song voice, "_Dance."_

Haldir's grin faltered when not only did the dirt around his feet turned to mud, it started to gyrate beneath his feet, making it impossible for him to keep his balance. Sakura hopped over him, just as he tumbled face first into the forest floor.

The leaves of the trees cackled beneath the twisting flow of the breeze.

The shinobi exchanged telling glances.

Neji barely sidestepped a branch that took a swipe at him. It was all he could do not to rub his eyes and pinch himself, when he watched Sakura flit out of sight once again. Her playful laugh and tinkling bells echoed all around him from every direction. He arched a brow, when Tenten's who was several leaps ahead of him, had a branch shift right from under her feet.

She managed to catch the branch with a gloved hand to keep herself falling. Or at least that's what he thought, until he watched the tree, for the lack of a better explanation - literally shake her off.

Before Tenten hit the hard forest floor, he altered his course and caught his teammate in mid air. As soon as his feet hit the ground, the earth beneath him decided to pull the carpet under his feet. For the first time in many years, Neji lost his balance and went sprawling to the ground with his teammate in tow.

Tenten could only sputter red-faced, when she hauled herself off of Neji sprawled form.

Neji ignored his embarrassed teammate while he did his best to regain his feet. Suffice to say, the ground beneath him, did not seem as if it wanted to comply with his wishes. The Hyuuga did not bother to muffle the aggravated curse that spilled from his mouth.

Tyoril stopped and held his hand to both of them, even though it was obvious to Neji that he himself was having a difficult time standing up right.

It was hard for the Hyuuga to believe that this was reality happening, and not a well constructed genjutsu. The query full of disbelief left him before he could stifle it, "Does Sakura know genjutsu?"

He winced when he almost lost his footing again. Neji only caught Itachi's smirk as he flashed by.

"Bastard," he grunted, before taking off after the other shinobi.

Rock Lee released a painful groan when a particularly nasty willow, slapped at the back of his legs as he passed by. Tenten's face paled when she realized that she was going to have to cross paths with that particular tree as it settled, and seemed to lie in wait for her to go by.

"Oh hell no," she all but snarled as went the long way around it.

Meanwhile, Itachi forged ahead, watching the others and the reactions to their actions as they attempted to catch up with his wife. The ground below turned to mud, and the air around him wisped by, as if it were taunting them. He caught glimpses of Sakura flitting all over the place, her impish laughter ringing in his ears.

It was as if he were chasing after an evasive forest nymph or a tennyo whose hagoromo he had been tasked to steal, like a fairy-tales in a child's book.

Sai quickly drew and released an ink bird from his parchment. His dark eyes narrowed when the wind picked it up and blew it away.

Kakashi drew up next to him, and chuckled, "I doubt Pakkun would appreciate being called for something like this, but I must admit I'm tempted."

"Aa." Itachi could only agree with the other ANBU Captain. Knowing that particular summon, he would bet that the old dog would just outright refuse Kakashi.

"Maybe we should discuss with the Hokage when all this is over with, that Sakura be hired for the chuunin exams. If I didn't know her, I would think this _was_ a well constructed genjutsu."

Itachi's obsidian orbs narrowed tellingly when he caught a glimpse of Sakura disappearing beyond another section of trees, just northeast of him.

Tyoril test swung his sword, practically slapping at the wind as if to bat the annoying bluster away from him. He shot Meesha an irritated look, "It looks like this is the doing of the spirits. It seems that her chakra is not involved in this, because I cannot redirect."

"Her sole intention is to escape capture," Meesha replied and then glanced up at Sai who tried to once again send another ink animal after Sakura only to fail in the attempt. She watched with a wry twist to her lips when the ink just splattered as if something had punctured it.

"There is no way, that she is this fast on her own," Sasuke's irritated tenor was smothered out by the sound of Sakura's laugh. The sound caused him to frown darkly. That woman was going to regret her challenge, if he managed to get his hands on her first.

Unbeknownst those chasing her, Sakura found herself chasing after the wind spirits that tickled her ear lobes and the watery mist that came to coat her face. She caught sight of fire spirits blinking in and out of view in the shadows, lighting her way through the darker shadows of the canopies.

It amazed her, how the elemental spirits played in unanimity with one another. So lost in her euphoria, she missed the shadow that flit overhead. She stopped dead in her tracks, when Sasuke leapt down from the canopy above. The cantankerous expression on his face, caused her cover her mouth with her hand, to stifle the laugh that wanted to surface.

He cracked his knuckles, "You've no where else to run." His brown eyes focused just past Sakura, but she could feel all the chakra signatures behind her. Essentially she was surrounded, but not to the extent that he would have her to believe.

"Catch me then, if you think you can," Sakura winked at him, her joviality plain on her expressive face.

Irritated by her mischievous expression, his hand snaked out and he managed to grab her wrist in a rock iron grip. He smirked triumphantly at her when she halted to stare at him, green eyes shimmering with jollity.

Just when he thought he had won, Sakura twisted in such a way that it was as graceful as a gazelle bounding away from a predator. His fingers slipped off of suddenly very most skin. Before his mind could grapple with the concept that she had just escaped him, a blast of wind pushed hard against his chest, causing him to falter back several step. He fall flat on his backside before he had time to regain his balance.

Meesha wordlessly placed a hand under his arm and hauled him to his feet before he had the chance to protest.

It was all Sasuke could do not to growl when her wine colored eyes met his, her amusement at his expense plain on her face.

She leaned over and whispered while poking him gently in the chest with her forefinger, "Do not chase her with ill intention. The spirits can sense that in you."

Before he could snap at her to back the hell off, she had already turned and left him still standing in place staring at her retreating back.

Itachi jumped down next to Sasuke. He glanced at his fuming sibling and shook his head, "Force has never worked on Sakura."

Tenten and Rock Lee fell into pace with Kakashi. Lee announced, "We're not going to catch this elusive blossom, unless we work together."

Rock Lee had already seen what had happened to everyone who had tried to physically make a grab for her. He had already decided that he did not want to end up like they had.

"Yes, apparently we are rather outnumbered in this particular chase," Kakashi sighed.

Tenten frowned, "What do you mean?"

"She has countless spirit beings assisting her, if I'm to understand these shrine warriors correctly," Kakashi wasn't even going to comment on the fact that the trees moving on their own. The First Hokage wouldn't have known what to think of all this had he witnessed it.

Neji had refrained from doing so early on, but he gave in and switched on his byakugan, and his silvery eyes narrowed. He panned the forest ahead of him, the lines around his mouth intensifying when Sakura's laughter did nothing but taunt them all. Even with his enhanced abilities, he only caught sight of her feminine form beyond the trees as she seemed to frolic about.

He could completely understand why Sasuke was irked by it.

He would never admit it out loud, but he felt insulted by her blatant mockery.

Sai stopped to wipe the sweat off of his brow, "I don't think we're going to catch Ugly like this."

Naruto finally plucked a leaf out of his jagged, bedraggled blond hair, "Yeah, this is not working."

Everyone came to a standstill when Itachi blitzed ahead of them all and came to a stand still. He met their varying expressions of confusion, before announcing, "This is my hunt."

Haldir smirked after the shinobi and shook his head at the Uchiha's bald-faced statement. He turned around and strode over to Naruto and placed a hand on his shoulder, "So what's this ramen you've been talking about?"

Naruto blinked thrice at the shrine warrior. His brows shot up rapidly, seeming to disappear into his hairline, "You've never heard of ramen before?"

"I have to admit that I haven't. What is it? Is it something I can eat?"

It was all Naruto could do not to gawk at him.

Sasuke clenched his teeth at his brother's random dismissal.

Meesha glanced at the others, her usually sharp gaze full of confusion, "Should we just leave them be?"

Tyoril shrugged and looked at everyone else, wondering about the sudden shift as well.

Sai on the other hand, pivoted on his heel and set to following Naruto and Haldir back to the village.

Neji gestured at Rock Lee and Tenten to come to him. He glanced at the trees that had finally gone still. He had to admit the sight alone itself was a relief. They complied and looked at him with the unvoiced question on their faces.

Wordlessly he turned and also headed towards Konoha.

Kakashi cleared his throat. He told the others still remaining, staring at the place Itachi had been, "Perhaps this will be for the best."

Meesha shook her head, "In all my days, I've never seen such a thing."

"Oh, so this is the first time you've seen a shaman do something like this?" He was curious despite himself.

The red-haired warrior nodded her head, "I honestly believe that we will never be able to catch her when she's in this particular state."

Tyoril dipped his head, ducking his chin in agreement, "I hate to admit it, but I think you're right."

Sasuke shook his head at the irony of the situation. Once again, his brother was in pursuit of the woman, and somehow he had the feeling that there was more behind his brother's words. The way his eyes had softened just as he had turned to chase after Sakura, could only make Sasuke wonder what it was about Sakura that drew his brother so strongly.

Finally he let it go. He really didn't want to think too deeply about it, truth be told. He waved his hand at the group still lingering behind, "Let's go back."

**-o-**

Tennyo - Tennin which may include tenshi and the specifically female tennyo are spiritual beings found in Japanese Buddhism that are similar to western angels, nymphs or fairies.

Hagoromo - "dress of feathers" In some legends, _tennin_ are unable to fly without these kimonos (and thus cannot return to heaven) In a Noh play _Hagoromo_, which bears a number of similarities to the Western swan maidens come to the earth and take off their _hagoromo_. A fisherman spies them and hides their clothes in order to force one to marry him.

-as borrowed by wiki-

**A/N: **As a side note, it makes me think of the lore of the selkies. I just couldn't help the mention, to be honest.


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